What Is A Person Worth?
by That Engineer
Summary: Nothing hurts more than feeling like an outcast in your own family. As the Louds let their silly superstitious beliefs cloud their judgment, bonds become strained to their breaking point. Can they rely on their so-called 'luck' to fix this, or will the bonds they share become severed like a failed marriage? (cover art by Extricorez)
1. Feels Like A Prison

**A/N: Welp, after shifting through ideas given to me by both review and PM, and those asking me to make one, I have finally decided to make a story based on the infamous episode, No Such Luck. I've read quite a few entries already out there, which at times made me question whether I should make one or not (serious Follow the Leader trope at work here). Some were good, though I do dislike the idea of Lincoln actually** ** _dying_** **. It seems too simple because we all know how characters react when someone dies. It more complicated if they're kept alive, which is what I'm going for. Will this story be as popular as my other Loud House story? Depends on how well I write, and if everyone likes it.**

 **As promised, I won't make this your typical angry fic, but there will be some serious anger issues between Lynn and Lincoln.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Luck. When someone utters this very word, it makes them question if the such a thing even exists. Say by chance, you happen to get the last of an item you desperately wanted. Some would say that's good luck. In another example, you end up caught in a freak rain storm that results in your car getting totaled. Back luck. Contrary to popular belief, _luck_ , does not exist. What we see and do is all based on good or bad judgement combined with convenience. Many typical cases where luck can occur could happen at any day of the week by sheer coincidence, or prior knowledge. But to a certain white-haired boy, the word might as well be a poison.

The family was driving back from a rather hot day at the beach. The Louds were able to enjoy themselves, all except Lincoln. Sitting in the rear of the van, he was still sweating like crazy in the squirrel costume his family was making him wear out of fear of their superstitions. He took the head off a number of times to vent out the heat, but every single time, Lola shouted at him to put it back on. It eventually got to a point where a few of his other sisters got on his case for it as well. The boy argued it was too hot for him to keep wearing the costume in the intense heat, and thankfully Lisa backed up that claim. Being wary, Rita and Lynn Sr. allowed him 5 minutes out of the suit. It didn't even last _that_ long as, a minute out of his prison, Lana was caught in a rip current. Lynn Jr. saved her and all Lincoln got was more glares from his family, so without uttering a word he put the suit back on. No more incidents happened since.

The boy was panting hard inside the costume to try and regulate his body temperature. "Can I _please_ take this thing off?..." He begged.

"No Lincoln. What if the van breaks down again?" Lori stated.

"It broke down _several times_ before all of this happened..." The boy muttered. "Can I at least have some water?..."

Luna, who was sitting next to the cooler, popped it open and tossed it to the young man. Using as much grip as he could to hold the bottle, Lincoln lifted the head enough to reveal his mouth before he hungrily drank down the contents. As he was chugging, he looked out the window and noticed a large sign for the beach.

 _Rip Current Advisory. Use caution when swimming._

He practically spat out his water on the back of the seat in front of him. _"Wasn't that sign up when we got here?..."_ He thought to himself. At that moment, Vanzilla hit a pothole, causing the boy to lose his grip on the still-open water bottle. "Aw come on..." He cried. His costume wasn't flexible enough to let him pick up his fallen drink.

Lola noticed the floor was a bit wet under her seat, and given what Lincoln asked earlier. "DAAAD! Lincoln spilled his water on the floor!"

"Lincoln, you're keeping that costume on for the rest of the ride." Lynn Sr. commanded in a stern tone.

"Yes dad..." The boy replied in a defeated tone. He just hoped this ride wouldn't last forever.

* * *

When the family finally got home, they talked about the fun times they had at the beach. At the same time, Lincoln was also chastised for taking off his suit. He argued he was allowed to, but this went fell on deaf ears. The boy sulked up to his room (which wasn't boarded up thankfully). Opening the door, he saw his little place of piece was stripped of all of its furniture. His clothing, laptop, and even toys were stacked in clear plastic storage bins. It looked more like an actual closet instead of a room to call his own now.

Silently closing the door, Lincoln finally slipped out of his costume. He was smelly, sweaty, and the inside was no better. Due to not being allowed to use the bathroom without the costume on, and since there weren't any holes to use as an exit for his waste, he regrettably had to go _inside_ the suit. Lincoln gave a heart-felt sigh as he felt his skin cool in the air-conditioned room, before staring at the costume in disgust. It's only been a day since Lynn's last game and he was regretting his choice to use the costume.

"I should've picked something other than this stupid squirrel..." As he continued to give the inanimate object his undivided attention, at it, the more he felt his anger building up. This whole ordeal was unnecessary in his mind. "Argh!...All I wanted was some alone time, and _this_ is my punishment?! Why does my family believe in this superstitious junk so much?! Lucy, I can understand, but after what happened at Grand Venture State Park, I stopped believing in anything to do with...luck...now that I think about it, I'm surprised even _Lisa_ fell for my act!" He ranted.

He got what he wanted out of the ordeal. He was no longer dragged to his sister's activities, and now that he thought about it, when was the last time any of _them_ supported him for anything? Sure, the boy wasn't as invested in more demanding hobbies like his siblings, but in very few cases did any of them show up for something like him. He ran for a marathon once, came dead last, and no one (including his family) were waiting for him in the stands. He even tried for karate at one instance, which resulted in a broken hand. His parents were there, but surprisingly Lynn wasn't, and she _practices_ that martial art. Lola did show up for that kid's pageant he (embarrassingly) signed up for, but only so she could laugh at him. It seemed that when he can make time for them (or more or less being dragged to their events), at least half the family shows up. Yet when the roles are reversed, few, if at all, can attend.

His irritation swelled momentarily before it was replaced by depression. Families are supposed to support each other. He didn't want to attend his sister's events, so why should they attend his? While it was nice to see his siblings succeed, Lincoln began to doubt they felt the same for him. Even when he wasn't in the mood, he found himself dragged to their activities, like with Lynn 2 weeks ago. He grew irate again thinking about the sports fanatic. He finally gets dragged to one of her games and suddenly _he's_ the bad guy? The boy would've denied it at first, but he saw this as his moment to get the free time he desperately desired.

Lincoln slumped to the floor in defeat, pulling his knees to his chest. His little lie didn't seem bad at first, but he let it fester for too long. Sleeping outside like Charles was definitely no picnic, no offense to the dog. Even when he told his family the truth, they passed it off as an actual lie. Had he not went for this costume, he would've been sleeping outside again. But did his family have to sell his _furniture_? He might as well be a stranger who was moving out.

"Do they really think less of me like this?...am I really not even considered a brother, or a _son_?..." Hot tears started to flow from Lincoln's eyes. Maybe his family didn't love him as much as he thought. He didn't know whether it was due to his gender, or because of his habits. Maybe if he was a female, he wouldn't be treated like this. His sisters shared none of his interests, as proven when he wanted to do some of his activities with them. Even Lily may one day grow to be more like his other siblings than liking any of his hobbies. They all have differing personalities, yet they can get along just fine. When Lincoln is involved, tension seems to mount for an unknown reason.

He stopped his thoughts when the pungent smell of his costume reached his nose. Grimacing at it, he knew it needed to be cleaned, _thoroughly_. The washing machine was too small, so he'd have to use the hose. The boy squirmed as he put it back on, his skin tingling every time it touched a wet spot. Lincoln resisted the urge to vomit, before making his way down the hall. After all, his family would flip out if he wasn't wearing it within their site.

 **A/N: Yeah, I know it's short. But it's only to test the waters. I got a longer chapter planned next. Let me know what y'all think.**


	2. Squirrel Boy

**A/N: Time to update this story. Before I start, let me say this: Lincoln is NOT getting killed or any of the sort in this story. That's been done way too often for everyone's liking. I know that's how some like to punish the Louds for their rather hateful act, but Lincoln doesn't deserve a fate like that.**

 **Carrying on, it's only been a day since Lincoln started wearing the suit, but unfortunately for him, the worst is yet to come. Unlike his family, who see it as good luck, it's gonna be quite the opposite for him.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Lincoln cuddled Bun-Bun as he curled up under his bed sheets on the carpet floor. He was thankful his family at least left the bed attire. For all he knew, they could've sold _that_ as well. Even so, the air conditioner of the house made the carpet a tad cold, causing the boy to shiver every once in a while. Didn't help the floor was much harder than a mattress. Since it was the weekend, the boy seriously wanted to sleep in. He was fortunate that it was Sunday, as he knew he would be forced to put on that stupid costume at some point given that his sisters did _something_ on every day of the month. Sadly, he wouldn't be able to enjoy his moment of peace for long.

A knock on the door rudely pulled Lincoln from slumber. "Lincoln! If you wanna eat breakfast, you'll need to _break_ _fast_ from your sleep !" A hearty laugh followed. With a bad pun like that, Lincoln immediately knew who it was.

"I'm not hungry Luan..." The boy moaned, trying to catch more Z's.

"Well then, get the sleep outta yer eyes mister. I got a birthday party that needs a clown today, and you and your luck are comin' with me!" Luan said enthusiastically.

"Ugh..." Lincoln sat up. "Can't I take a rain check?"

"Sorry Lincoln, but nothing's _raining_ on this parade." Luan chuckled, causing the boy to groan in annoyance. "What if something bad happens during the act I planned today?"

"Fine. Give me a minute..." Hearing his sister's footsteps shuffle away from his door, Lincoln lied back down. "So much for sleeping in..." He muttered. Looking over at his stuffed rabbit, he gave a sigh. "Today's gonna suck huh Bun-Bun?" He stared at the rabbit as if it'd give an answer. "Yeah, that's what I thought...hope it's just Luan I have to be a good luck charm for today...I don't get how anything bad could happen when she's always organized when it comes to comedy..."

Getting out of his makeshift 'bed', Lincoln dragged himself over to the bin containing his day clothes. Putting on a white t-shirt and his usual jeans, he then started putting on the squirrel costume. After washing out the stench, sweat, and fluids, it was wearable at least. Lincoln growled in annoyance when he noted parts of the inside were still damp. He'd leave it to dry outside (or maybe in a dumpster), but he knew he'd end up being forced to keep it for the sake of luck. Putting the head on, Lincoln walked out into the hall, witnessing the usual chaos that occurred on a typical weekend.

Luna had speakers set up in the hall and was having a jam session, a series of explosions were occurring in Lisa and Lily's room, no doubt from the little genius herself. The baby of the family was walking around without her diaper (again), the twins were squabbling about something, Lucy sat on the ladder to the attic, reading a book; Leni was in the bathroom practicing the use of makeup, Lori was nowhere in sight, but Lincoln assumed she'd be in her room. Walking past the goth and sports fan's room, Lincoln saw Lynn kicking a soccer ball around.

"Hey Good Luck Charm!" Lynn yelled.

"Hey..." Lincoln replied. _"Funny, I don't_ feel _lucky..."_ The single thought that came now that he's stuck wearing the suit.

"Hey bro. I need you to come to my next gig tonight. I don't want my strings to break during my solo." Luna stated.

The boy sighed. "I'll be there if I'm not busy..."

"Hey Lincoln, I need you to bring your luck for my alligator wrestling tournament today!" Lana yelled, her hair a bit messy.

"No! I need him for my pageant today!" Lola yelled angrily, tackling her twin to the floor.

"Well I need him more!" Lana retorted, pulling the princess's hair.

"No, I do!" Lola bit Lana's nose. A ball of violence formed as the two rolled back into their room.

Lincoln rolled his eyes before knocking on Luan's door. "You done yet Luan?"

"Just putting my wig on, so don't wig out on me!" The comedian chuckled.

Lincoln leaned against the door. "If four of my sisters wanted to bring me along because of my supposed 'good luck', then whose to say the rest wouldn't? Lori's golf tournaments, Lisa's lectures, Leni's fashion shows, Lucy's grave-digging and goth contests, and lastly, Lynn's games. In short, I would be stuck in the very situation I tried to get himself out of! Only this time, I'm forced to wear a silly costume..." He sighed. "Dang it Lincoln, you got yourself into this, surely you can find a way out right?"

Looking around, his sisters were too preoccupied to bat an eye to him. He took the suit's head off, letting out a bit of heat. He waited cautiously for someone to tell him to put the head back on, but thankfully, no one seemed to care. "Phew, at least I don't have to wear the head in the house." At that moment, Luan's door opened, causing him to fall to the floor.

"Hey Linc! How's the weather down there?" Luan laughed. Dawned in her usual clown outfit, she carried a bag full of props she planned to use. "Don't want to lose your head now. Plus your good luck might leak out." She chuckled again, picking up the squirrel head as Lincoln sat up.

He grabs it and puts it back on. "How long is this party going to be again?"

"Only a few hours. Unless you think your luck won't last that long."

"Might last a plenty..."

"Then let's roll!" The comedian hopped onto her unicycle and rode it down the stairs.

Lincoln walked after her with a bored expression. "I know I'm Luan's assistant for these types of activities, but this isn't what I had in mind."

* * *

The birthday party went without a hitch. Luan's act was amazing, and the kids even thought Lincoln was a huggable mascot, earning a few pictures. For once, he was glad for wearing the suit, because he was blushing in embarrassment the whole time.

"Nice job with the luck back there Linc! You even got a tip for making the kids happy." Luan told him as they strolled back to the house.

"Yeah, _$10_ is good I guess." Lincoln replied sarcastically. "Mind if I pop the head? I'm sweating in this thing."

"Sure. Just don't be such a sweater!" This earned another chuckle. Lincoln could've given an approving laugh, but he was too hot to care right now. He popped the head off and gave an exasperated sigh. They were walking past Mr. Grouse's house at this point.

"Nice costume Loud!"

Lincoln gave him an annoyed look. "Whatever...maybe when I get inside I can finally re-"

"Lincoln!"

"Dang it..."

Lana ran up to him with a set of rope in her hands. "Come on! Dad's taking us to my alligator wrestling!" The little tomboy grabbed his hand and started dragging him to Vanzilla. Clearly, she won her fight with Lola.

And just as Lincoln thought, it already began: his sisters were once again dragging him to their activities. During Lana's tournament, she was doing fairly well against an adolescent gator. The 11 year old was surprised that his little sister could handle such a dangerous reptile. Not even El Diablo is that big. She had the mouth wrapped shut, but she still needed to immobilize her prey. Once again, the spring heat was getting to him, forcing some much needed ventilation. The oddest thing occurred though. As soon as he popped the suit's head off, the gator managed to wriggle the rope on its snout just enough to make it come loose. The now enraged gator took off after the six year old, forcing her to dodge. She wondered how it could've gotten its mouth free.

"Maybe I didn't tie it tight enough!" Lana looked over and saw Lincoln without his suit head on. "Lincoln, put your head back on! Your luck is leaking!"

The boy did as instructed so he didn't have to witness his sister get torn to pieces. Lana whirled around and dodged to the side as the gator ran past her. She jumped on is back and held the top of its mouth down. The reptile rolled in an attempt to shake her off, but the girl held her grip and tightened its jaws shut with more rope. She still had a few seconds left to win. Thinking quick, she jumped off the gator and waited until it rolled onto its back before successfully managing to hog-tie it.

"And winner by a half-second, Lana Loud!"

"I'm so proud of you honey!" Lynn Sr. hugged his daughter. "And thank you Lincoln for bringing the heavy artillery!"

"Thanks dad, I guess?" The boy replied.

While the two went to get Lana's trophy, Lincoln was rather stumped. That's the second time something bad almost happened when he takes part of the suit off, though both times something only happened to Lana.

"Maybe I _am_ good luck, at least around Lana. But then again...there was that sign I saw at the beach, plus her knot didn't look to be as tight on that alligator...either this is actual luck, or sheer coincidence. Not like I'd get much of a say about it anyways." Lincoln walked off to find his dad and sister. But as luck would have it, disaster struck.

"Gator loose! Gator loose!" Someone yelled.

Lincoln turned and saw that one of the big adult gators managed to get out of its pen, and it boy was it angry. It snapped its jaws at whomever it saw, before finally spotting Lincoln. Instead of a human, all it saw was a large squirrel. Normally the gator wouldn't eat squirrels as they were very little and did not offer much nourishment. But a _human-sized_ squirrel? Now that was something that could keep it fed for a few days. Lincoln felt his blood run cold as the massive predator ran towards him. He did the only logical thing in this circumstance: scream and run.

The boy ran as fast as his legs could carry him, but he was no where close to be as quick as Lynn. Didn't help that he was still sweltering in the heat, which was making him a bit tired. He didn't know gators could move quick on land, because the next thing he knew, he feel face-first into the dirt as something gripped the tail of the suit. He screamed in fear as the gator shook him like a rag doll, a tearing sound being heard as the tail was being shredded and getting close to being ripped off at the base. The boy desperately tried to grip the ground for leverage, but the hands of the suit weren't exactly made for holding objects.

"Someone help me!" Lincoln yelled, hoping someone heard his pleas. Unfortunately, no one seemed to.

A loud ripping sound was heard as the base of the tail got ripped off, sending Lincoln flying a couple feet. The mascot's head fell off when he landed, stunning him. The gator was a bit confused as to why it couldn't taste any meat in the tail, before eventually realizing it was fake. Seeing Lincoln's head, it soon realized it was just another human, one smaller than most of the others it had seen. Surely it wouldn't put up much of a fight. Lincoln's pupils shrank as the gator closed in on him. He could've ran, but he was too tired, and too afraid to move.

Before the gator could charge him again, someone landed on the gator's back, causing it to buckle in surprise. Lana held onto the gator the best she could. "Get away from my brother you meany!"

The gator turned its head to try and snap at the young girl, but this gave her an opportunity to wrap its mouth shut with some rope. Like the younger gator before it, it then tried to do a death roll to make the tomboy fall off, but she used the same trick as before and managed to subdue the beast.

Lana ran up to Lincoln and hugged him tight. "You ok bro?"

"Y-Y-Yeah...I'm fine..." Lincoln replied hesitantly, trying to shake off the shock of almost getting eaten. "T-Thanks for the save, I really owe you one..."

"Well duh! I couldn't let my good luck charm get hurt could I?" Lana laughed. Lincoln's heart sank when she referred to him as a charm.

Lynn Sr. ran up to them. "Are you ok son?!"

"Yeah dad, I'm-"

"Is your suit ok?"

"Wait, what?" The boy's heart sank even further as he looked at his father in disbelief.

"The tail got chewed off and torn pretty bad dad." Lana stated, looking at the aft end of the costume.

"Quick! We gotta get you guys home before something bad happens! And sew that tail back on!" Lynn Sr. said in panic. Lana picked up the torn piece of fabric and the head of the suit while the father carried his son back to the car. The entire time, Lincoln just kept a stunned look on his face.

* * *

When the trio got home, Lincoln was immediately stripped from his suit as Leni and Lola worked to get the tail stitched back on. While it felt good to get out of his own sweat once again, Lincoln felt some serious pangs in his heart. It felt as if they cared more about the suit than a boy who just stared death in the face not 20 minutes ago. Lincoln wasn't even sure what to think about this, and he couldn't enjoy his short taste of freedom because of it. He later had to put the suit back on as he still needed to attend Luna's little concert. Luna may have had a fun time, but Lincoln sure didn't. Being a kid in a place full of adults was rather...creepy to put it lightly. Not only that, but someone who was drunk out of their minds tried to hit on him, mistaking the costume as a walking sex doll. Thankfully, Chunk put an end to that before something could've happened to make this story rated M for Mature. Needless to say though, Lincoln was still disturbed from the affair.

Home seemed like the safest place to be for him right now as he and Luna returned. "Thanks for comin' with me bro. Sorry about the...you know..."

"Please...please let's not talk about it..."

"You gonna be ok?..."

"I-I'll manage..." The boy answered, his uneasiness ever so clear.

It was dinner time, but Lincoln was understandably not hungry. He quickly ran up the stairs and locked himself in his room. He threw the head off and unzipped the back of the suit before throwing it across the room. At this point he was hyperventilating, and quickly grabbing a paper bag, he breathed in and out of it in an attempt to calm his nerves. After a few minutes, it worked. Lincoln undid his pants before flopping down on his bed sheets, not caring about the pain that occurred when he impacted the floor.

He grabbed Bun-Bun and held the plush rabbit tight. "Today was worse than I thought Bun-Bun...it was HORRIBLE! My sisters may have a good time at their events, but I'm certainly NOT having a good time...if I have to keep wearing that suit to their events I might go crazy...if something doesn't kill me first..." Lincoln shivered, remembering the incident with the gator. "At least we have school tomorrow...they wouldn't make me wear that thing and embarrass myself...right?..."

 **A/N: And that's only the beginning of what luck this suit will bring. Unfortunately for Lincoln, his sisters don't really seem to think that far ahead, or even care about his social standing now that I'm thinking about The Green House. We'll see how Lincoln's week is during the next chapter.**


	3. Rising Tension

**A/N: Time for chapter 3. If I wasn't clear enough in the last one, Lincoln is NOT going to attempt suicide or commit fratricide, since a few people still asked that despite being told otherwise. And I know you guys are jumpy to see how things turn out, but patience is a virtue. Good things will come to those who wait. I know I grabbed a lot of people with that whole gator situation. To be fair, it was a throw in at first since it's possible for such an event to happen, and while writing it I wanted to find a way to make the clouded judgment thing come into effect. Seems I hit the nail on the head in that regard with people getting angry at Lynn Sr. (which I wanted to happen, but it's more of a play on those instances in cartoons where characters are more concerned about an item than a person). Lastly, I know you guys will expect a fight at some point, but all I can say is this:**

 **At some time, some place, someone will attack another. Could be, probably, happening real soon :D**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Life has a funny way of letting it know just how much it hates you, and that's what Lincoln was feeling right now. His hopes of not having to wear the suit on Monday were dashed due to the simple fact that Lola had a test she didn't study hard enough for. Being the little brat she is, the princess forced Lincoln to wear the suit even though they weren't in the same grade. She figured that by being in the same building as him, his luck would spread to her. This came as a mixed blessing. Some didn't care for the fact he wore one of the school's mascots (there was a guy who wore a rooster outfit for the football team), but those that did know who was inside that squirrel suit took the chance to mock him for it. Chandler and a few of his cronies sure made an example of that, giving Lincoln the urge to rip the suit off and pummel the kid. However, he didn't want to risk getting suspended for it.

Four hours into the school day and already the boy was frustrated. Picking the books he needed out of his locker, he heard 2 sets of feet coming towards him. Thinking it was more people wanting to take another jab at his outfit, he did his best to ignore it.

"That you Lincoln?" Turning his head, he was glad it was just Clyde and Ronnie Anne.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Well, this _is_ your locker right Lame-O?" The tomboy answered.

"Yeah..." He put his math book away.

"So what's with the suit?" Clyde asked. "I didn't know you became the new mascot for the softball team."

"It's...not really like that...my _whole_ family thinks this suit a good luck charm..."

Ronnie Anne couldn't help but laugh. " _Luck?!_ That's got to be to the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Luck doesn't get you anywhere in life, skill does."

"Not in _my_ crazy life..."

"How'd you end up wearing it anyway? I didn't think you were _that_ interested in sports." The nerdy boy questioned.

The white-haired boy sighed. "Lynn brought me to her stupid game last month and she ends up bombing it. It's the _only_ time I've been to any her games because I'm busy with my other sisters, and then she blames ME for her loss, thinking that I somehow jinxed it!" He explained, his frustration ever so clear.

Ronnie Anne grew irritated. "That does sound like something she'd do. I think her main weakness is that she can't blame herself for anything..."

"So you put the suit on to make her believe you weren't bad luck?" Clyde surmised.

"Yeah...long story short, my whole family thought I was bad luck so I had to prove them wrong. Now they think I'm _good_ luck whenever I have this thing on..."

"Well, why don't you just take it off?" The African-American pointed out.

"Cause every time I do I gotta put it back on within a minute, and if I try to take it off while my sisters are in the middle of something, bad things start to happen...I don't know, maybe I _am_ good luck to them or something, but I can't wear this thing in the heat, and it seems whenever I get dragged to their shindigs, something bad happens to me!"

"Like what?" The girl asked.

"Well let's see, yesterday I almost got eaten by an alligator..."

"Wow, that is odd." Clyde stated. "Maybe we can try to find some way to convince your family that you're not good luck either. That way, you're neither good, nor bad."

"I guess Clyde, but that's gonna be tricky. I had to put on this suit just to prove I wasn't bad luck. What would I have to do to prove I'm not good luck?"

"Like I said, luck won't get you anywhere, skill does. And if that doesn't work, I'm sure a little _persuasion_ could help." The Hispanic girl chuckled, cracking her knuckles.

"Thanks for the thought Ronnie Anne, but I don't think violence is going to solve anything..."

The girl shrugged in response. "Who knows. These beauties here have gotten me through quite a few of my problems." Ronnie Anne kissed her fists.

Lincoln could have agreed with her in that regard, but there was one particular problem: he wasn't a violent person. Sure, he got into fights with his sisters, but only if he was rather pissed about the situation. Not only that, but he was fairly sure if he got into a fight with any of his sisters, he'd likely lose as he could never bring himself to harm them severely. Yet, such an option wasn't entirely out the window given how his family was treating him right now.

"LINCOLN!" A shrill voice yelled out. The trio looked and saw Lola storming up to them, clearly upset about something. "Did you take your costume off at any point today?!"

The white-haired boy deadpanned. "No? I've been wearing it since this morning."

"Then why do I have a B on my test?!" She pushed the paper into his face. She then grabbed a cuff of the front of the suit to pull him to her level. "How am I supposed to be perfect if you're not keeping _your_ end of the bargain?!"

The little princess quickly found herself pulled away from her brother, only to come face to face with a certain tomboy's glare. "How is it Lincoln's fault that you got a B on your test? Was he supposed to help you study or something?"

"Uh...well...no?"

"Then shut your yap. You got that grade because of your own faults. If you studied, you might have gotten an A, and no amount of luck would have helped you regardless!" Ronnie Anne dropped Lola on her butt, who looked like she was about to cry. "Now apologize."

"Sorry Lincoln..." Lola said sullenly before walking off.

The Hispanic girl smirked. "See Lame-O? All you need is to set the record straight and give a good dose of reality check."

"While I do think that was a bit much, she's got a point. If that isn't something you want to do, you could try the subliminal approach." Clyde suggested.

"I guess that could work. Lynn's got baseball practice today, so I guess I can try it with her."

Ronnie Anne had to silence her laughter for this. "You're actually gonna threaten _Lynn?_ "

"No, I'm gonna try Clyde's approach. Lynn would kill me if I tried to change her mind physically."

"Yeeeah, good call on that." Clyde nodded.

"So, you dudes wanna get some lunch now?" The tomboy asked, to which the two obliged.

* * *

Hours later in the day, Lincoln met with the Royal Woods Squirrels at their field. With the softball season over, Lynn felt it was time to hone her skills in the fine art of baseball, especially since precision was key due to the fact a baseball is about half the size of a soft ball and different techniques are required. Softball pitchers throw underhanded while baseball pitchers threw overhand. Not only that, the distance between the pitcher and the batter is greater, plus the baseball pitcher will stand on a mound of dirt while the softballers are level with the batter. Nothing like a challenge to get her into the sport, Lynn would always say.

Since the mechanics were mostly the same, the sports lover didn't have an issue adjusting herself to the sport's requirements. As the team's mascot, Lincoln was also required to be there as a show of support. However, seeing Lynn practicing baseball stirred something deep within him. It was at the first softball game he went to that caused this mess to start, and he couldn't help but hold some contempt towards the jock. He pondered how she got into believing things like luck. Surely for someone as egotistic as Lynn, luck would be the last thing on her mind. And yet, her declaration of him being a jinx is what caused this craziness to start.

"If I can get Lynn to change her mind about her dumb superstitions, then maybe I can end this quicker than I thought." A smile formed on Lincoln's face for the first time that day.

The biggest tomboy in the family was currently busy practicing her swings, so the middle child took this as his opportunity. "Hey Lynn."

"Hey Good Luck Linc." She batted her shoes to kick some dirt off. "What's up?"

"Nothing, just wanted to see how everything's going."

"Welp, it ain't that much different than softball." She swung the Louisville Slugger again, making a whistling noise in the process.

 _"Here goes nothing..."_ Lincoln thought. "So, uh...how did you end up losing that one softball game again?"

The brunette laughed. "Well, at first I thought you jinxed it, but now that you aren't bad luck, I realized I just didn't have enough luck on my side that day."

"Ok? But are you sure it wasn't due to something else?"

Lynn got confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you think that...maybe..." Lincoln wanted to choose is words carefully. "Maybe the other team simply...practiced better...to counter...you?" He gave a sheepish look under the costume.

"Woah woah woah, back up there. Are you implying my skills weren't good enough for that _one_ game?" Lynn asked, a glare forming on her face.

"Well...I mean it can happen right? Maybe you didn't toss the ball a certain way or-" Lincoln was silenced when the bat was pointed an inch from his face.

"Listen here Lincoln. I practice day in and day out for sports, and sometimes even skill isn't enough to win and mine are at the _very_ _top_. Why do you think I do those rituals to the softball gods?! Of course now I have to do it to the baseball gods, but you see my point! That's why I need you in that costume when the games come rolling in!" She got within an inch of his face. Even with the squirrel head on, Lincoln could easily feel the heat of her gaze. "If you insult my skills again, this bat is going to be married to your face...kapeesh?!" Lincoln nodded fearfully. "You're lucky your a good luck charm with that suit on..." Lynn finished before storming off.

The boy breathed in deep and sighed heavily. "Nipping this in the bud is harder than I thought...maybe I should've talked with Lisa first...hey wait, Lisa! That's it! Surely she still has some common sense left in her!"

* * *

During the ride home, Lincoln sat a comfortable distance away from his sports fanatic of a sister. She seemed to be at ease, but any time she looked at Lincoln, her face contorted into a glare. He shuddered whenever she looked his way, but thankfully he had room to avoid her at home. He waited for Lynn to disappear into her room before making his way to his. Once the suit was off, he walked over to the genius and baby's room, knocking softly on the door.

"You may enter." A monotone voice replied.

Lincoln stepped in and saw Lisa studying a strange mixture. He didn't want to know what it was, and he hoped it didn't somehow blow up in their faces. "Lisa, I need your help."

"What else is new?"

"Just turn around. I'm not wearing the suit."

The 4 year old looked at her brother, who was dressed in his usual attire. The genius just shrugged. "So you finally stopped wearing that thing in the house. Good for you."

The sarcasm in her voice irritated Lincoln a bit. "Wait, you're not freaking out that I'm not wearing my 'good luck charm'?"

"Oh pish posh. I stopped believing in that nonsense 2 weeks ago."

"Wait...WHAT?!" Lincoln yelled, now furious. "You _knew_ I wasn't good luck either, and you didn't say anything?!"

"At first Lincoln, I actually did believe you were bad luck. But after some mental analysis, critical thinking, and the application of common sense, I came to realize that this whole 'luck' shenanigans is nothing but tom-foolery. Same as the time we visited Grand Venture State Park and the whole...'Dowl' incident..."

Lincoln's anger diminished somewhat. "So you admit you were being stupid?" He smirked.

Lisa furrowed her eyebrows. "I would rather say _inane_ , but yes."

"But why Lisa?...Why didn't you say anything on _my_ behalf? Do you realize what I've had to go through?..."

"I do, and I'm sorry for that. I did have the thought to tell our blood relatives that your 'bad luck' was nothing but a play in their imbecilic minds, but given the circumstances, I doubt anyone would've listened. Plus, I saw you indeed needed some alone time, just like I do when I'm busy working on my studies. However, when it came to the point you got kicked out, I tried to convince Lynn that her whole luck-based schism is a big fat hoax." The little girl grew irritated. "Sporty has got to be the biggest, thick-headed member in this family, I'm surprised she doesn't have an intellectual disorder..."

"But...what can I do?"

"That, I'm not sure. I was hoping by you telling the truth they'd drop this act, but it only seems to have gotten worse. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if nothing short of blowing a fuse would set the record straight."

"But there's got to be _someone_ in this family whose willing to listen to reason! I hate having to wear that silly costume! And every time I do, something bad happens to me!" Lincoln yelled, growing restless.

"Yes, I've heard about the gator incident yesterday. Clearly the security on the pens was not up to date. And I'm sorry Lincoln, but I'm unable to help you with this endeavor. I've tried to convince them, but the deficient in this house is more than I can handle. Plus, I'm in the middle of some important work."

Lincoln crossed his arms. "And what is more important than the overall health of your only male sibling?" He imitated the last part in her voice.

"For one, I'm trying to see if I can convert every day water into a usable fuel source, and second, this whole situation makes an interesting case study."

The 11 year old groaned. Figures she would see this a chance to use her own family as test subjects for whatever the hell she wanted to do. "Just forget it..." The boy said in a defeated tone before walking out of the room.

* * *

The next 3 days weren't any better, as Lincoln was dragged to a number of his sisters activities. The weirdest part of it, was that something _always_ befell him no matter how innocent he as, or how odd or unusual it seemed while his sisters remained unharmed. At Lori's golf tournament, after hitting the ball, it careened off a wasp's nest before landing right in the hole, giving the 17 year old a hole-in-one. However, the insects were less than pleased about being disturbed, but instead of attacking Lori, they attacked the giant squirrel as they perceived it as being a bigger threat. Thankfully, the suit protected Lincoln, but he was displeased about the whole event nonetheless.

At Leni's fashion show, the blonde did a spectacular job showing off the latest fashion trends. At one point it looked like one of the stage lights might drop down on her, but thankfully none did. In Lincoln's case, a rope suspending a bag of sand had been worn down before it eventually couldn't handle the weight of the bag, causing it to land directly on him. He needed an ice pack for his head after that. At one of Lola's pageants, it was already embarrassing enough to wear the suit, but how about when the springs of your seat are faulty? Lincoln was catapulted out of his seat and into the ceiling. Lola won due to being able to get him down, but people still laughed at the squirrel anyways.

Perhaps the most outlandish act occurred during Lucy's grave-digging contest. While digging, the goth hit a ground wire, but wasn't electrocuted due to the leather gloves she was wearing. Lincoln was standing under a light post at the time, and the recurring shock throughout the circuit sent a bolt of lightning coursing through him when the bulb above had broke. He was paralyzed for a couple minutes thankfully, but the suit was a little scorched. Later that same day Lynn had a baseball game, and the boy ended up catching a few fly-balls to the chest and back.

While Lincoln was thankful the suit took most of the punishment he had been subjected to, he was slowly losing his mind. He was effectively sure the squirrel suit was cursed, as none of these circumstances ever happened to him before the whole bad luck thing started. He really wanted to trash the damn thing, but he couldn't over the simple fact his family (minus Lisa) would make him wear it to suit their needs. Even though they cared for his injuries, the suit would almost look like it was never harmed by the time Leni and Lola were finished with it. In comparison, the boy still had a few bruises from the baseball hits and bee stings.

It was the end of the school day on Thursday, and Lincoln held a scowl on his face. "If this keeps up, I'm going to trash this stupid thing..." Lincoln said to himself as he walked towards the school exit, carrying his book bag. "I don't care if they need their stupid luck to achieve anything. Lisa was right...my family is a bunch of-" He was cut off by the sound of honking school buses pulling out of the parking lot.

Shock ran through him as he tried to flag down his bus. "Hey wait! I'm still here! Come back!" Naturally, his cries fell on deaf ears as his easy ride home left without him. He did see some of his little sisters through the windows, but it seemed they didn't notice he was missing. "Grrr! Fine! I wanted to _walk_ home anyway!" Lincoln yelled to no one in particular.

It wasn't as hot as it normally would be for a spring day, but Lincoln began to sweat anyways because he might as well have been wearing a heavy coat with that costume on. It wasn't a long walk to his house, but taking the bus would've made the trip a lot faster. What the boy didn't know, was that this tripped would end up as a mixed blessing. Five minutes of walking down the street, a group of boys noticed him. They were from Hazeltuckey, the town Lynn's team beat in baseball yesterday. It seems they were rather bitter about the shut out Royal Woods gave them.

"Isn't that the mascot for those dumb Squirrels?" One of them said.

"Yeah. Lynn sure seems to rely on on that stupid thing a lot for some reason."

"Well then, how about we demoralize them?"

"What do you mean?" Another asked.

"We take the mascot, beat him up, then ship him to the school. They'll be so crushed they won't even think about playing baseball anymore!"

"Ain't that gonna get us in trouble?"

"Not if we make it look like an accident." The first boy grinned.

Lincoln took the head off to vent out some heat when he heard footsteps behind him. Turning, he sees a group of boys that were roughly twice his size.

He gulps audibly. "C-Can I help you?"

"Yeah, we noticed your wearing the suit of those sissy Royal Woods Squirrels. How about we go for a ride?"

"Actually, I'm not supposed to talk with strangers, so..." Lincoln smiled sheepishly.

"We're not asking." Another said as they surrounded the poor boy.

Lincoln had to get out this quick before he found himself being roadkill. "Uh, look! A cool pickup!"

Thankfully, the dolts fell for this trick, giving him a few precious seconds to push one of the boys out of the way before breaking into a sprint. Realizing the trick, the Hazeltuckey boys took off after him. Lincoln's mind as racing, he was still a ways off from home, none of his friends were close enough to back him up, and he had no clue where any of his sisters were. He also knew he couldn't keep up the pace for long, as he as sure those boys would catch up to him. Looking to his left, he spotted the town dump. Not the most sanitary place to be, but it was definitely big enough for Lincoln to lose his pursuers.

He ran to the fence and climbed over it, leaving the head of the costume behind in the process. The 11 year old didn't care though, because he might have bigger concerns soon enough. When he climbed the fence, there was "Beware of Dog" sign bolted on. The boys climbed after him, clearly disinterested in the empty fake squirrel head. Lincoln made a series of turns before coming to a stop behind a mound of scrap metal. He sat there, breathing heavily to catch his breath. The boys screamed around as they continued to search for their prey, but to no avail. Minutes passed, but Lincoln couldn't hear their cries anymore, and assumed they had left.

Stepping out of his hiding spot, Lincoln cautiously looked around. It was still mid-afternoon, but the shadows made by the tall piles of junk made his choice of hiding seem creepy. It didn't help he got a little lost when trying to hide. The boy looked around anxiously as he walked toward what he assumed was the exit. He also hoped that warning about dogs wasn't real. This proved to be false as Lincoln heard growling behind him.

Turning his head, the white-haired boy saw 3 bulldogs, and they had the look of a killer in their eyes. "Um...nice..doggies?"

Their growls increased before they broke into a sprint, barking while doing so. Lincoln's eyes went wide a he tried to shoo them away, but to no avail. The 3 dog jumped him and started tearing at the suit. One even tried to go for his neck. Lincoln flailed around to get the animals off of him, but this didn't help much. However, he was given a moment to react when one of the dogs tried to go for his face again. Acting on instinct, he smacks the dog away before taking his bag off. Using his bag as a bat, he swats the other two away, but they don't leave.

The trio of dogs regroup for a moment before running at Lincoln again. This time however, he wasn't going to be caught off guard. One jumps at his face while the other two attack his legs. Their teeth don't pierce the suit enough to damage his legs, but Lincoln could feel a bit of pain as the teeth scraped them. The boy manages to throw one of the dogs off before using his bag to bat another away. He then slams his bag on the head of the 3rd dog, rendering it unconscious. One of the other two jump at him again, but out of anger, Lincoln bats the dog into a pile of metal, and hears a rather sickening squelching sound. To his horror, the dog was impaled by several pieces of metal that were jutting out like spikes. The last dog that was still walking whimpered upon seeing its fallen comrades. It scurries off before something bad could happen to it.

The boy was devastated beyond words. He couldn't believe he actually ended the life of another creature. No matter how much he wanted to look away, he just couldn't. Blood dripped down the metal from the points of impact on the dog, and even one of its eyes was severed from his head like meat on a stick. Something stirred in the boy's stomach before he felt something coming up. His cheeks puffed up for a moment before he emptied the contents of his stomach. Lincoln sat on the ground before looking at his hands, or rather, the brown hands that were part of the suit he was wearing. Lincoln's shock soon turned to anger. He was absolutely fed up with this suit. This thing has been a bane to his very existence. Ever since he put it on at Lynn's stupid game, nothing but bad things have happened to him while his family gets to go on without injury.

"For crying out loud, why is this happening to me?! Why do I have to be the butt of the joke in this family?! All I wanted was some time to myself, AND MY ENTIRE FAMILY FLIPS OUT OVER SOME SUPERSTITIOUS BULLSHIT?!" Lincoln would never utter a swear, at least until he was older. But at this point, he just didn't care. He undid the zipper on the back of the suit and tore off what was left it. Spotting a burning pile of furniture, Lincoln didn't hesitate to drag the suit over and toss into the inferno. However, something looked oddly familiar about this furniture...

"Is this...my b-bed?!" He said in shock. He could also see parts of his dresser in there as well. His mother said they _sold_ his furniture. Apparently that was a lie.

"They...they threw my stuff out, like it was t-trash?..." Sadness seemed to be taking over, but instead, this was pushed down by concentrated amounts of hatred. Lincoln's body shook with rage. His family viewed him as a good luck charm, they threw out his stuff, and they seemed to care little about how all of this was affecting him. Gritting his teeth, boy stood up and began stomping his way out of the junkyard. His snorted with each breath he took as he traveled back on.

He had a few choice words to say to everyone when he gets back.

 **A/N: I know you guys would hate having Lincoln wear the suit in school, but I had to because it makes sense in context. I was thinking about having this chapter stop after Lincoln and Lisa's conversation. I wanted to redeem Lisa because she honestly should've known better than to fall for that shtick Lincoln pulled on Lori. I also found I enjoy writing her as she's very down to earth. I didn't stop there because of what I had planned in the next chapter, and oh boy, Lincoln is pissed. What's he going to do when he gets home? What is his family going to do now that his suit is gone? Find out in chapter 4. It should be** **quite, interesting.**

 **Also, one thing I noted is that there's an error at Lynn's games. She says she plays softball, but the animation is depicting that of baseball. Clearly, the artists don't know the difference between the two, so I made it clear in this chapter.**


	4. Truthes and Lies

**A/N: I bring to you another chapter of my No-Such-Luck-inspired story, and this one will be sure to kick off the rest of what is to follow. I'm not surprised about getting mixed reviews with this story since the episode itself was a mixed bag (though it seemed to fall out of favor with the majority of the fandom). For example, some liked the fact Lisa was more in character while others didn't like it too much. But like in my other story, that little genius can't keep up her stoic act for long. I got big plans for this chapter, and I hope you all enjoy the potential 25 minutes worth of reading time. You may get what some of you were expecting. If it's not, then you might be pleased with the results.**

 **Warning: Chapter contains various amounts of swearing.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

As the day winded down, the Loud Family was returning to their abode. The girls in grades K-8 were already home, the high schoolers arrived not too long ago, and Lisa was just getting home from her teaching job. The parents had yet to arrive, but they were well on their way after a typical Thursday shift. As the girls were getting up to their usual antics, one sister in particular had someone on her mind. Luna sat on her bed, casually strumming a chord on her guitar. She wasn't trying to make up or remake any songs, but hearing music usually helped her think better. The one person she was thinking about, was the only brother she had in the family.

Ever since that little affair that happened at her last gig, Lincoln had been rather quiet lately, almost to Lucy's level of silence. She knew something was bugging the Ace Savvy fan, but every time she asked him, he gave her a fake smile and said: "Don't worry about it." Naturally, Luna could tell that was a lie. She would pry him further about it, but the musician didn't want to disrespect his privacy (at least more than she already had). She didn't know whether he was still hung up about that incident at her gig or it was over something else, but Luna noticed that over the last few days he seemed to be getting worse. He effectively stopped smiling, was quiet when it came to dinner, and he had this look of contempt whenever her other sisters wanted to bring him to their events with his suit. Granted, she'd be annoyed too given the bee stings and the electrical discharge he suffered from, but something was telling her that it went deeper than that.

The 15 year old looked down at her more comedic sister, who was busy thinking up new jokes to use. "Luan?"

Luan paused to look at her roommate. "Hey Luna, how's the weather up there?" She chuckled.

The rocker responded with a dry laugh. "Hah hah...look, have you noticed anything...odd going on with Lincoln?..."

The comedian shrugged. "Not that I know of. I did test a few jokes on him, and he didn't laugh much. He usually laughs at my jokes, but then again, you guys always groan whenever I make a good pun."

"Probably 'cause they aren't that good to begin with..." Luna muttered. "But, do you think we might be taking advantage of him? I mean, how many times has he attended our events?"

"Well, there's my birthday parties, Lola's pageants, Lori's golf games and Lucy's digging and goth sessions, and we both know he had an _electrifying_ time. However, when he got sprung into the ceiling... _that_ could actually make a good prank." The 14 year old chuckled.

"Not funny dude...I think something might be seriously wrong with him, could be more to it than I think..."

"Aw don't be such a downer. I know he got hurt, but Lincoln can take a few stings and getting fried. I mean, Lisa's done worse. You could say he's rather, indesquirrelable!" Luan laughed at her own pun.

Luna growled in annoyance. Leave it to the family comedian to make jokes when she was trying to have a serious discussion. "Forget I even said anything..." She stated before jumping off her bed and walking out the room. Looking around the empty hall, she noticed the door to the eldest sisters' room was cracked open a bit. The musician could hear her 16 year old sister humming a tune. Peaking through the door, Leni was busy drawing something on paper.

Luna knocked on the door. "Hey dude, got a minute?"

"Sure! I gots like, plenty of time." Leni replied enthusiastically.

"Does it seem like Lincoln's been, I don't know, moody?"

"Moody?" Leni asked, before letting out a gasp. "Is he sick?!"

"Doubt it. If he was, we might me sick too." Luna answered, remembering the last time the flu had spread around the house. That was not a fun week for anyone. "I mean, has he been acting like say, Lucy or something?"

Leni tapped her chin. "Now that I think about, I have noticed him frowning more like her lately. Not like Lucy's usual frown but like, he's upset about something. I remember yesterday he had like the most irritated look when we came back from Lola's pageant. Might be because of that."

"Maybe, but he's been lookin' like he'd smash a guitar on a bloke's head well before that happened..." Luna pondered in thought.

She was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. "Kids! We're home!" Came the cheery voice of Lynn Sr.

"Think we should tell Mom and Dad?" Leni asked.

"That would be a good idea..." The 15 year old looks at the paper Leni was doodling on. "Whatcha got there?"

"Oh. I was like, totally gonna make Lincoln a new bed after Mom and Dad threw out his old one. I even made a matching dresser to go with it. I thought it'd cheer him up so he wouldn't have to sleep on the cold, hard floor...just look at it. It's totes adorable!" The blonde gushed.

Luna looked at the drawing. It depicted a twin-sized bed with Ace Savvy etched on the front and sides with a matching dresser. The musician was actually surprised that Leni was capable of making an architectural piece with such precision and beautiful design. Then again, the girl could make a _curtain_ into a holiday dress.

"Wow dude, this is seriously rockin! How'd you-wait...did you say his bed was _thrown_ out?"

Leni nodded. "I remember when his room got boarded up we thought it was tainted with bad luck. Mom said they were going to sell it and I saw these burly looking guys pick up one day 'cause they like, dropped the frame and the dresser some how. I remember them saying they couldn't sell it afterwards so they had some other guys come pick up."

"And how did you find out about this?..."

"The floor told me!" The blonde smiled.

True, the walls were rather thin, but apparently you could hear conversations through the floor if you listened clearly. Plus, Lori and Leni's room was directly above the master bedroom. At that point, it registered in Luna's head as to why Lincoln would be upset. Aside from getting kicked out the house, he didn't even have a bed to sleep on now on top of everyone believing he was a good luck charm. Having to wear that costume day in and day out must be making Lincoln feel horrible. And that's only the tip of the iceberg.

"Sis...we messed up big time..." Luna said monotonously with a blank stare.

"What do you mean?"

Luna grabbed Leni's shirt, pulling her close to stare her in the eyes. "US! _ALL_ OF US! He has no bed! We forced him out of the house! We didn't even believe him when he said he said he faked having bad luck!" The musician let go, causing the blonde to fall back into her chair. "I feel like a complete monster instead of a sister right now!..." Luna shook with guilt.

"Like, oh my God...you're right! We gotta help Linky before he becomes even sicker!" Leni replied, the sad expression on her face proving that her words were sincere, even if the last part was odd.

The two bolted from the room and ran to their brother's room. Upon reaching it, they threw open the door, only to find the sole occupant absent.

Leni screamed. "He's invisible again!"

"No dude, he's just not here..."

Lisa opened her door and looked at the two in annoyance. "May I ask what the sudden noise to assault my tympanic membrane was about?..."

"Little dudette, have you seen Lincoln anywhere in the house?"

"No. He should've arrived at the same time as our other elementary school siblings, but he has not."

For once, Leni was genuinely irritated. "If you knew he wasn't home, why didn't you say anything?! It'd been like, 3 days!"

Luna facepalmed. " _Hours_ Leni..."

Lisa shrugged. "I assumed he would be attending whatever activities he has planned for the afternoon." She then squinted her eyes. "Unless you two want to drag him and his supposed 'good luck' to your events..."

"No, dude. It's worse. Lincoln is very likely to be really sore with us, and we gotta make things right before it gets worse!" The 15 year old explained.

"At least someone besides myself has a brain in this family." Lisa stated, adjusting her glasses.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Both older girls asked, looking miffed.

"On Monday at exactly 1700 hours, Lincoln came to me to help convince you fools that he wasn't good luck. To be frank, I tried telling you guys he wasn't bad luck weeks ago, but instead you let yourselves believe whatever you wanted. Sadly, I myself was guilty of taking part in this tomfoolery, but corrected myself shortly after." The child prodigy explained.

"But you were the one who suggested we board up his room!" Luna yelled.

"At the pressure from the rest of you to find a solution!" Lisa retorted, becoming angry. She's not gonna take full blame for this when everyone had a part to play. "And believe it or not, I hated having to propose the idea of making Lincoln leave the premises! Who knows what could've happened to him out there! And to frank, our brother isn't just upset, he's-!" The 4 year old stopped when the sound of the front door slamming open echoed throughout the house.

In the living room, Lola, Lana, and Lily were busy watching TV while Lori was texting on her phone when the door was literally kicked open. Curiously, they looked leaned towards the door. Even the parents, who were in the kitchen preparing dinner, poked their heads out. At first, they expected Lynn Jr, as she had a habit of doing this whenever she was upset. But the jock was in her room. Instead, standing the doorway was a certain white-haired boy, and he held a look that spoke of anger and frustration. His hair was ruffled and messy while his face contained scratches from his earlier fight in the junk yard.

"Woah, you alright bro?" Lana asked.

"No, Lana...I'm not..." Lincoln replied, his tone laced with vemon as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Um, Lincoln, aren't you forgetting something?" Lola asked.

"Like...what?..." He said, casting his gaze towards the princess.

"Didn't you wear your squirrel suit to school or something?" Lori asked, a bit disinterested as she continued texting.

Lincoln gave a low chuckle. "Funny thing about that. I 'lost' it." Sarcasm was well evident when he said 'lost'.

"Wait, what?!" Lola yelled before running up to him. "What do you mean you lost it?! Are you trying to let bad luck come to us again?! Or you just want to keep all the good luck for yourself huh?!" The princess accused.

This turned out to be a bad move on her part, because the next thing Lola knew, she was hoisted up by the collar of her gown and staring at the enraged face of her brother. This clearly wasn't the same Lincoln she was used to. It actually made her lose her nerve. "No Lola. I tossed it into a pile of burning junk! HAPPY?!" He yelled before dropping her on her fanny. Lola scooted away from him, the look of fear plastered on her face.

"Lincoln Loud!" Lynn Sr. yelled as he came out of the kitchen. "That's no way to treat your sister! Apologize to her this instant! And why did you throw away your suit?!"

By now, the sisters who were upstairs were coming down, wondering what all the yelling was about. Luna and Leni had worried expressions on their faces, Luan, Lynn and Lucy looked confused (if you could say that in Lucy's case), while Lisa looked as if she expected this to happen. Under normal circumstances, Lincoln would've obeyed his father without much of a thought, but no...not this time. At this point, he wasn't even sure if the man even deserved to be called a father after all the crap the boy had been through over the past few weeks. Same for his mother, given the fact she lied to him and allowed the misfortune that happened to him. The only thing the white-haired boy was feeling right now was contempt, anger, and a desire for revenge, and these feelings continued to build the longer he stood in the house. It almost felt alien to him, but at the same time...it felt like it was just what he needed. Love and compassion had no place in his heart right now.

Whenever he had been put through rough times at the hands of his family, he always forgave them. Sometimes his family would forgive him when he made mistakes. But during his long walk home, the boy realized he may have given his family too much leniency for their past omissions. And he wasn't going to forgive them for what happened over the false pretense of having any kind of luck. As such, he acted on his current level of aggression.

"Lincoln! Answer me when I'm talking to you!" Lynn Sr. commanded, making Lincoln curl his fists even tighter.

The boy gave a small laugh. "No dad...I'm not apologizing...in fact, why should I have to say sorry to people who've been doing nothing but making me endure hell for the past few days? Or better yet, a damn good amount of my time as an 11 year old?!" He yelled, his anger rising, surprising the sisters. They would never expect a kind boy like him to actually swear, until he was older at least. But, if Lincoln was so angry he had to use foul language, it was clear he had been bottling up his anger for a while.

Rita gasped. "Lincoln! That's no way to talk to your father, and you should not be using such language!" She scolded him.

"Oh stuff it mom! You want to know why I got rid of the suit? I was chased," he pointed at Lynn Jr, "by her damn rival team because they were sore about losing their last game! I had to hide in the junk yard and I got attacked by dogs, tearing the suit up to pieces! Ever since I've had to start wearing that, that...fucking thing outside of games, nothing but pain and misfortune has come to me while the rest of you remained oblivious to it! And I'd be _damned_ if I had to take it home just so this brat and idiot, " he gestured to Lola and Leni respectively, "can stitch it up again JUST SO YOU GUYS CAN MAKE ME WEAR IT AGAIN IN THE NAME OF YOUR DAMN SUPERSTITIONS!"

Everyone's mouth was agape at the colorful language Lincoln used in his rant, and his triad wasn't even close to finishing.

"Oh and guess what I saw at the dump, _mom_?!"

Rita shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"I threw the suit onto a pile of burning debris. Said debris, were parts of _my furniture_ , which you said you guys _sold_!" He glared at his mother.

"W-We did try to sell it, but the guys taking it accidentally broke it, so...we thought it'd be best to...trash it..." Rita explained uneasily.

"So that's it huh? You guys thought since I wouldn't be in the house anymore you thought it'd be _ok_ to sell, no... _throw out_ my stuff?! Why don't you just get rid of my clothes since I might as well be a complete stranger!" The incredibly peeved boy folded his arms. "I probably wouldn't have found out if you girls," he points at Lucy and the twins, " actually realized I wasn't on the damn bus, SO THANKS FOR PROVING NO ONE IN THIS HOUSE CARES ABOUT ME!"

"Lincoln...we do care about you, and you need to calm down..." Lori started, showing genuine concern.

He glared at Lori. "Oh please, don't act like you give a crap. Only thing you ever care about is texting your oh so precious boyfriend...you might as well be married to that phone considering how often you type on it!"

"Hey! I'm not on my phone _all_ the time!...Right guys?" The rest of the family gave a side-ways glance, which essentially proved Lincoln right.

"And the rest of you don't care enough to notice how wearing that stupid costume made me feel...you cared more about your stupid _luck_ than your only son/brother!"

"Lincoln, that's not true!" Leni cried.

"You _know_ it is Leni! Every time I suffer from an unfortunate accident, that suit would look brand new, yet I still have welts from bee stings! If you guys really cared, you would've done more than just one minute healing sessions, but instead, you continue to lie to me just so I can continue to be your stupid good luck charm!" He now points accusingly at his father. "You were even more concerned about that stupid suit than me! AND AN ALLIGATOR ALMOST KILLED ME!"

"L-Lincoln-" Lynn Sr. started, but the boy interrupted.

"Spare me your lies dad...remember when we thought you and mom were gonna kick us out of the house, but you were really talking about your tie collection? You said you'd never get rid of _any_ of your children. Either that was a lie, or I'm not considered part of this family!"

"Lincoln, you are part of this family. You're my older brother for corn's sake!" Lana pleaded.

The white haired boy gave a dark laugh. "That's funny Lana, cause if I remember correctly, my room was boarded up, I was forced to sleep outside, and even your brat of a twin seemed whole hardy at the notion of me not coming to the beach with you guys because I was 'bad luck'..." He practically hated those two words at this point. "I'll admit it was really stupid of me to let that white lie drag on for so long, BUT DID IT HAVE TO INVOLVE REMOVING ME FROM THE HOUSE?! WHOSE IDEA WAS THAT ANYWAYS?!"

Everyone in the family became quiet. The girls had guilty looks on their faces, even Lisa was uncomfortable. In the parents case, they felt like monsters for deciding to go alone with the idea. What kind of parent decides to go along with the idea to remove one of their children from the house like they were some plague? Not only that, it also calls a lot of...legal matters...into question.

Lincoln's anger diminished a bit, causing depression to start setting in. "Just...why?...Why is it that every time I make a mistake, everyone is quick to jump on my case, but when the girls do it, everyone feels sympathetic and they have their backs?...Is it because I'm the only other guy in this house? Is it because I wasn't born as a girl? Is that it?..."

"Lincoln, I can assure you that gender has nothing to do with it." Lisa stated.

"Really...then why wouldn't you help me fix this?...Are you studies that more important than your own family?..." This question made the 4 year old look at the floor with guilt. It was true she could've done something to stem the tide of this façade the family was going through, yet she chose to sit on the side lines and watch what happens. Now, she's regretting the consequences of her actions.

Lincoln shook his head when she didn't answer. "Every day I go to everyone's events to support them, but there comes a time when someone needs time to unwind...but with a family as large as this, guess there's no room for privacy..." His anger started to rise again. "Day in and day out, I can't even get a moment of peace before one of you girls barge into my room and try to get me to do something...you pranked me just because I wanted some peace and quiet..." He glared at Lola. "I was forced to set off multiple pranks because _someone_ had to invite Ronnie Anne over..." He gave a cold glare to Luan, making the comedian shift uneasily. "Got kicked out of my room twice and had a good day ruined because the two biggest blondes in the house had to fight _over a dress_..." Lori and Leni shared guilty looks for this. The boy's anger continued to build back up to its previous level. "Had to take the blame for clogging the toilet just because a certain someone can't handle criticism..." Lucy hung her head in shame.

The boy paused for a moment. "And speaking about the toilet, you girls remember that dare where we each gave up our annoying habits and we all learned to accept them?...That was a _huge_ lie because ALL of you laughed at my Ace Savvy outfit! Not only that, you never cared that I could've failed 5th grade when you guys chased off my tutor! You also ruined my chances for claiming the sweet spot just because I didn't want to be stuck with a crappy seat or sit next to someone who'd annoy me for the whole trip! I know I probably ruined it by asking too many questions, but why couldn't you just let me have the seat?!" The boy took a few deep breaths. "But nothing, compares to the amount of idiocy I suffered a few weeks ago..." Lincoln finally turned his gaze towards Lynn.

"Lincoln?..." Lynn said uneasily.

The boy marched right up to the sports fanatic. "You forced me to come to your stupid game despite the fact I gave a clear reason why I didn't want to go, and why I couldn't attend your other games, but no...you felt the need to threaten me with a bat! Then when you lose the game, it's somehow _MY_ fault?!...I felt _sorry_ for your loss, and yet you label me as bad luck!" Lynn flinched under his screams. He turned away from her. "You're not a winner by any regards Lynn...you're just a _sore, loser_..."

At those words, Lynn's pupils shrank There were two things that would set her off: mocking her skills, and coming in a place other than first. Lincoln just insulted her on both fronts. Instinctively, her rebellious nature kicked in. "Oh yeah?! What about you _Mr. I'm-too-lazy-to-exercise_?! You asked me to play football for you just because you couldn't hack it!" The jock replied defiantly.

Lincoln turned around. "Difference is, you agreed to help me, and I didn't even threaten you in the process! You loved every second of it! You were fucking _smiling_ as you threatened to beat me with that bat, and then you have the nerve to say it's _my_ fault you lost! Then you go on and claim I'm bad luck just because you managed to win your next two games?! Here's a lesson for you Lynn..." He leaned in til he was within an inch from her nose. " _Real_ winners, take losing in stride, and clearly...you're not one of them..."

The 13 year old was now getting furious. "Take...that...back..."

"Why should take back something when it's-" Lincoln got interrupted when he felt his sister's fist collide with his cheek, knocking him to the floor. The rest of the family gasped in shock.

"I said...TAKE. IT. BACK!..." Lynn yelled, cracking her knuckles.

Lincoln lied on the floor in a daze. He was surprised that Lynn actually hit him rather hard, but given her nature, he should've expected this. The boy's blood was boiling hot now, his anger climbing to amounts not even Lincoln himself was previously aware of. As a result, his face was actually starting to turn red with rage. He was fully content on letting his family know how he felt about them through his words, thinking that would be enough. But if Lynn wanted to throw down with him...then by all means, he was fully prepared to return the favor...

"Dude! Why'd you have to hit him?!" Luna scolded.

"What else was I going to do?! No one insults my skills and gets away with it!" Lynn countered.

"He was just venting out his emotions Lynn, as harsh as they were..." Lisa argued.

"But does he actually have the _right_ to talk like that to any of us?!" The jock retorted.

Lisa looked behind Lynn and noticed Lincoln was standing back up. Cautiously, she backed away from her. "You should ask _him_ that..." The genius pointed behind her.

Lynn looked and saw Lincoln back on his feet, his face red with anger and steam practically coming out of his nostrils every time he took a breath. "What, you want more?" She mocked, while Luna and Leni shook their heads, not believing that Lynn wasn't taking this seriously.

There are 10 stages of anger, from lowest to highest: bothered, mild irritation, annoyed, indignation, frustrated, infuriated, hostile, wrath, fury, and lastly, rage. In Lynn's case, her level was that of indignation. When Lincoln came home, his aggression was up to infuriated, but thanks to that one punch, his anger was pushed beyond the boundaries of 10. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to level aggression 11, and enraged doesn't even begin to cover it. In a state of livid fury, the Lincoln gave a yell that spoke of unadulterated hatred before charging the sports fan.

Lynn was prepared for a fight, but she didn't expect the fury an 11 year old could unleash. She got tackled to the floor and Lincoln started delivering several punches to her face, his anger fueling the force each hit carried. Being the strongest of the two, she managed to reverse the position and started hammering at her brother. Lincoln planted his knee into her mid-section before grabbing her wrists and throwing her into the back of the couch. The twins and Lori screamed in fear while Lily began to cry. The 4 moved away from the couch as the 11 year old pounced on his sister. He wrapped his hands around her neck and started bashing her head against the back of the furniture piece, putting the tomboy in a daze. Getting short of breath, Lynn put her thumbs into Lincoln's eyes and pressed hard into them. The boy screamed in pain, causing him to let go, giving the jock time to reach over and bash him with one of the couch seats.

Everyone else screamed for them to stop, but their cries fell on deaf ears. Before he could get hit with the seat again, Lincoln grabbed the cushion and pushed Lynn all the way to the wall. He then proceeded to punch the spot where he hoped her face was. The blows weren't as hard due to the cushion softening the blows, but the tomboy still felt them. Lynn growled before swinging her leg up, nailing Lincoln right in the area that defined his gender. The boy slumped to the floor in pain, holding his package, and Lynn took this chance to kick him while he was down. Despite the pain, Lincoln did his best to ignore it and grabbed Lynn's leg. Seconds later, Lynn cried in agony as she felt the boy's teeth enclose around her limb. She beat on Lincoln's head in an attempt to force him to let go, but the boy bit harder in response. Forcing her to kneel down, she grabbed one of his arms and bit his fingers in retaliation. Lincoln screamed through gritted teeth as his mouth was still hanging onto Lynn's leg. He could feel some blood pouring into his mouth as his teeth broke through the skin. Same for Lynn.

The two kept biting each other before the family finally decided to act. Lori and Leni rushed in and pulled Lynn away while Luna and Luan did the same to Lincoln. Both yelled in pain as their teeth were forced to release their target, but not without tearing off more skin. Lincoln's fingers bled while Lynn's leg gushed out a moderate amount of blood. They tried to reengage their brawl but the sisters kept them at bay.

"Why don't you just admit that you never loved me?!" The boy yelled out, struggling to get away from his sisters.

"Why would I have to admit that? You already know you're the weakest link here!" Lynn countered. She tried to bite Lori, but she moved her arm away in time.

"So that's your reason for always bullying me?! No wonder you never use anyone else! You go after the weakest person in the family! You're the worst sister to ever live!

"Lincoln and Lynn! Stop with your arguing right now! Lynn Sr. told them, but to no avail.

"Fine! You want the truth so bad?! You never were my ideal brother anyway! I never loved you! I wish I had a better _sister_ instead of you-no...better yet, _I wish you were never born_!" Lynn finally yelled, panting as her struggles ceased.

Lincoln stopped at the same time, his face no longer red. The sisters released their grips on them as it seemed they wouldn't start another fight. "So you finally admit...I've been nothing but a burden to this family..."

"Lincoln...no one ever said you were a-" Rita started.

"You say that, but your actions prove otherwise...if you didn't want a son in your life, then why drag it all up to this...do you want me to say I'm sorry I wasn't born like my sisters? I guess it doesn't matter since I've been nothing but a luck-based charm for the better half of a month...Well, sorry that I'm different...I just..." His voice still held some rage, but it was starting to break. "I just can't take this anymore..." Without another word, the 11 year old ran out the door, slamming it shut in the process.

"Lincoln, wait! Don't leave!" Luna ran after him. She opened the door, but unfortunately...the boy already disappeared. Lynn was still panting on the floor, her anger diminishing. It was only then, that it dawned to her what she said, and the guilt slammed into her like a truck going at 70 mph. She really loved her brother, but she just had a different way of showing it.

The musician became enraged and glared at Lynn. "Well I hope your happy you idiot! Thanks to you, Lincoln is gone! He's out there by himself and God knows what could happen to him, and all of us had a part to play in this band we call a family!" Her gazed turned to everyone else. "I realized too little, too late how all of this was affecting Lincoln, and everything he said to us?! We whole-heartedly deserted _every_ second of it! I was supposed to be his guardian, that you guys entrusted me with his case since he was born, and what do I have to show for it? Letting him suffer not only from my hands, but also everyone else and not paying attention when he's hurt! I'm ashamed at being a part of this family!..." Luna was fighting back tears at this point. She stormed towards the door.

"W-Where are you going Luna?..." Lola asked.

"To find my brother..."

* * *

Lincoln ran as fast as he could into the darkened streets. He didn't know where to go or what else to do, so he just ran. Houses whizzed by him as he continued running. He didn't get very far from the Loud house, at most maybe a couple blocks. His anger-fueled rant and tussle with Lynn really did a number on his stamina. He came to a stop under a lit light post, putting a hand against it to catch his breath. The boy was no longer angry. In fact, the entire time he had been fighting back tears. He didn't want his so-called family to see him cry, not they'd care in his opinion. The aftermath of his rage-induced rampage caught up to him, forcing him to sit down in the illuminated glow of the lights.

Depression finally had its chance to kick in as the boy rummaged through his thoughts. As far as he was concerned, he had no one he could call a mom, dad, or even sister anymore. In his mind, he had been nothing but a burden to the Louds. They always had a good time without him, he seemed to make things worse, and whenever he had to learn from his mistakes, the girls usually got away with whatever they did. He berated his entire family, and even bit Lynn hard enough to draw blood. The boy lightly touched his mouth, noting some of his sister's blood was still there. Lincoln felt more tears coming up, but he didn't stop them. He let the flood gates open to their maximum potential, and he sat there letting his sobs flow freely after that had been held back for a tiring amount of time. He didn't know where he would go, or what was in store for him, but it didn't matter. He just wanted to sit there and be left alone...

However, what the boy didn't know, was that in his mindless run, he wandered into another familiar part of the neighborhood, and inside a house just across the street, a certain Hispanic girl was staring at him in surprise...

 **A/N: Pardon the fact this chapter is abnormally long, but I just had a lot to type and I didn't feel like spacing it out over two chapters. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it, though I really want some thoughts on how you think Lincoln reacted. Was it good enough? Was it too OOC? Could more have been said? Just some thoughts because I've never written Lincoln as being a enraged. I've seen him do so in other stories, and decided to go with the bottled up rage approach. If it came off as a typical angry rant, then I apologize. I added the section where Lincoln finally breaks down because, considering he just told off people he thought cared about him, it's not hard to imagine him crying about it afterwards.**

 **Chapter 11 of Syngenesophobia was put on hold for this since I'm still evaluating the relationship the parents have with their kids, and since many really wanted to see this one come out, I didn't want to keep everyone waiting for too long. Hopefully I'll have Ch. 11 out before the week is done.**

 **The part with Leni making a bed for Lincoln came to me after I remember what she was doing in Driving Miss Hazy. Lori tells her to make her bed in exchange for a mall run, but the girl takes her words literally and actually made a rather elegant wooden bed piece. So I can totally imagine her doing that for her brother.**

 **As a mini-game, can you name all of the episodes mentioned in this chapter (besides No Such Luck)?**


	5. To Find A Loud

**A/N: Well, it seems most enjoyed reading Lincoln's long heart-felt rant to his family. A few didn't like it that much, but I kinda expected that. I know some didn't like seeing their favorite sisters getting chewed out, but all of them were guilty for their actions. Lincoln showed no restraint in letting them know just how he felt, that's for sure. I feel I could've made the fight between him and Lynn continue a little longer, but someone had to intervene before teeth started flying.**

 **Also, during Lincoln's rant, I realized I forgot to include one other episode. As such, it'll be mentioned in here. Now, let's look at the fallout of Lincoln's Epic Rage Time.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

While a heart-breaking incident was occurring at the Loud House, another family was busy relaxing, or at the very least, doing their evening duties. At the Santiago residence, the father of the family was busy doing some work on his desktop while the mother was fixing up dinner. Their two children sat on the couch, eyes glued to the TV. For the last half hour, they had been bickering over what show they could watch. Bobby wanted to watch some cheesy romance movie or Dream Boat, but his sister wouldn't have none of that. In response, Ronnie Anne wanted to watch an R-rated movie that was playing on a different channel, but Bobby knew she was too young to even think about seeing something like that. After the constant channel-switching, they ended up watching a show about police officers pursuing criminals.

Bobby looked on with great interest as a few cars were chasing after a sedan through several neighborhoods. "Come on, get him!"

Ronnie Anne looked indifferent to it, but in the end she held a smirk at how the cops were going in a round-about way of trying to corner the druggie in the car. A minute later, one of the cop cruisers finally manages to intercept the sedan, bringing this chase to an end. "About time. They could've grabbed him 4 minutes ago."

"Honestly...and it was just a routine traffic stop. If he kept calm, the police wouldn't have known anything, but there he goes, driving away like he's been had." The Hispanic boy ranted.

"Riiiight...I'm gonna go get a drink." The Hispanic girl got up, seeing that only commercials were playing. She won't admit it, but it was nice having these moments with Bobby, at least when he wasn't buried in his phone. The girl turned and saw her brother texting on his phone again. "Not even 20 seconds and he's back on that thing..." She muttered irritably.

Walking into the kitchen, the tomboy saw her mother working on tonight's meal. From the smell of it, she was cooking up tomales. Grabbing the bottle of a sports drink out the fridge, Ronalda started quenching her thirst as she walked back to the living room. Taking a moment to look out the window, she saw it was already dark out, the moon giving it's bright glow in the skies. Time sure flies when its on Daylight Savings. Before she could go sit on the couch again, something stood out to her in the darkness. Someone was sitting in the light of a lamp post close by. Ronnie Anne shrugged, thinking it was a random stranger, but once she caught sight of the white hair, only one person came to mind.

"Lincoln?" She squinted her eyes. Sure enough, her suspicions were right. The Loud boy was sitting out there by himself. This triggered several alarm signals in her head. Something wasn't right. Why would Lincoln be out so late when he should be at home? Wouldn't his parents and sisters be worried sick? His posture was slumped, he was shaking visibly, his white hair was disheveled...it almost looked like he was...

Bobby looked up from his phone to see his sister staring out the window. "You comin' Ronnie Anne? It's starting again." She didn't move. "Whatcha starin' at?"

Instead of responding, the girl went to the front door and stepped outside, drawing even more confusion from her brother. Roberto got up and walked to the window, spotting his sister walking across the street. He also saw the boy he considered a brother.

"What's lil' bro doin' out there?"

As Ronalda drew closer to him, his cries became clearer as the distance between them decreased. Lincoln must've been too caught up in his depression to notice her, as now she stood next to him while he continued to sob. "Lincoln?" The boy became startled and looked up at her. Ronnie Anne nearly gasped in surprise. He had scratches and a few bruises on his face, his eyes were red due to crying, and he also had some blood on his chipped tooth. Speaking of blood, the fingers on his right hand were bloody, and they were still bleeding. "What happened to you?!"

The boy shook his head, staring back at the ground. "I...I don't want to talk about it..."

"Lincoln, no one comes out in the middle of the night looking like a complete mess, especially someone like you. So, are you going to tell me yourself or am I going to have to get it out of you?" Ronalda was met with silence, which surprised her. Normally, whenever she threatened him with violence if he was hiding something, he'd tell her straight away. Instead, Lincoln didn't even flinch. Whatever was troubling him must've been deeper than even she could imagine. It also pained her to see him in such a state.

Taking his good hand, Ronalda pulled him up. "Come on..."

"W-Where are we going?..."

"My place. Where else?" She replied in a concerned tone as she led him across the street.

When they entered the house, Bobby grew extremely worried. "Woah Lincoln! What happened?!"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out..." The Hispanic girl replied. She let go of the ashen-haired boy, going into the kitchen. "Mom? Where do you keep your First-Aid kit?"

"It's on my dresser hija. Did you hurt yourself again?..." Mrs. Santiago turned.

"No, I...Lincoln was outside across the street and he's...just come look at him!" Ronalda finally yelled out.

Confused, the mother set the the food in the oven before coming out the kitchen. She gasped in shock upon seeing the poor boy. " _Dios Mio!_ What happened?!" She yelled, crouching to get a better look at him. Ronnie Anne took that as her cue to go get the medical supplies.

Mr. Santiago grew a little irritated at the noise and stepped out of the office. "What's all the noise about?" He said in a thick spanish accent. He took one look at Lincoln and was about as surprised as everyone else. "You get into a street fight ninito?"

The mother turned to him. "Marcus, now isn't the time to joke about that..."

"Maria, I'm just saying, stuff that like happens."

Ronalda came back with the medical supplies as Mrs. Santiago had Lincoln sit at the table in the kitchen. She started by cleaning off his face and the blood from his mouth. When the peroxide was applied to his scratches, Lincoln couldn't help but wince as it stung. Soon after, the boy had a few bandages on his face and his mouth wiped clean. She then moved to his fingers, which still bled like no tomorrow. Applying some wet towels, the Hispanic woman cleared the blood enough to see the bite marks on his hand.

Maria looked closer at the wounds. It wasn't uncommon for someone to be bitten by a dog, rat, or occasionally an alligator (though the latter would result in missing digits). Years of medical training taught her how identify what caused an injury, and she was surprised that the bite wounds weren't from some animal, but from a human. "Lincoln, do you know who bit you?"

The ashen-haired boy nodded, but didn't say anything after. Nina took out the peroxide and dabbed it into a cotton ball. "This is going to sting a bit. Ready?"

Lincoln nodded. The second the cotton ball made contact, he couldn't help but scream in pain. He knew it would hurt because of the peroxide disinfecting his wounds, but it felt like someone just dipped his hand in a pot of boiling acid. Ronalda and Bobby winced as they watched. Maria held his fingers still as she applied healing cream and wrapped his fingers in medical tape. "Ok, now you won't be able to move your fingers for a while, but they should be healed in a few days. Ok?"

The boy nodded in response.

"Want me to call your family?"

Lincoln's eyes went wide and quickly shook his head. "NO!" He yelled out, shocking everyone. "Sorry...but...I just don't want to speak with my family for a while..." He stated as he averted their gaze, a few more tears pouring out of his eyes.

Maria questioned as to why, but once again, the boy was too distraught to say anything. Ronalda and Bobby looked at each other in worry before backing out into the living room.

"Harsh...does he at least want them to know where he is?" The 17 year old asked. At that moment, his phone vibrated as a text message came in. The adolescent opened it to reveal a message from Lori.

 _Bobby, this is literally urgent! Lincoln just literally told us off and got into a fight with Lynn. We haven't...been fair to him lately, but now he's ran away! We have no idea where he went, we're out looking all over for him, but there's no sign of him anywhere! If you see him, please tell him we're very sorry and want him to come home! :'( :'( :'(- Lori_

Bobby read over the whole message. "Guess he got into a family fight." Ronnie Anne looked confused before her brother showed her the text. Well, that explained a few things, but there had to be more to this puzzle. From what she knew, Lincoln would get into fights with his siblings quite often, but it didn't seem bad enough to the point it would cause him to flee. Looking towards her brother, the tomboy saw he was about to call his girlfriend. Just before his finger could touch the dial button, Ronalda smacked his phone out of his hand.

"What are you doing?!" She hissed.

"I'm just gonna let them know where he is! They're worried about him Ronnie Anne." Roberto replied, picking up his phone.

"Well before you think about putting on the dial tone, don't you think that _maybe_ there's something bigger going on? I haven't seen Lincoln this upset in like...well I never seen him highly upset before so I don't know...he probably talks to Clyde more about this, but if he had to run away from home over a fight, then it must've been mega levels of serious..."

Bobby looked at her, then stared at his phone for a moment. "...I guess you're right. But what am I supposed to tell Lori? You know I don't like having to lie to her."

"Well, just suck it up and tell her we haven't seen him. They might stop by and ask, so when that happens...let's just keep Lincoln out of sight..."

"Alright...don't exactly like this plan though..."

* * *

Luna, Leni, and Lori were searching around the neighborhoods to find their brother. The rest of the family came to their senses after a few minutes and managed to find the musician around the park. She kept calling out to Lincoln, but was only met with silence. In order to cover more ground, the family split into groups. The 3 eldest sisters would continue to look around the homes as Lincoln likely didn't travel that far, Lynn Sr., Luan, and Lucy would search around the town, while Rita, the twins, Lisa, Lily, and Lynn Jr. searched around areas Lincoln would frequently visit with Vanzilla.

The minutes turned to hours, and as the night drew on, the family was getting more and more desperate. Lori texted her boyfriend and let him know of the situation, and he replied he'd let her know if he saw the boy. Luna called Chunk to see if he could look around as well. With the mother and five of her daughters, they were growing weary and tired as midnight approached. Being up well past their usual sleeping time was not doing them any favors. As the baby of the family, Lily was already asleep.

"Do you think we'll even find him?..." Lana asked, barely able to keep herself awake.

"Of course we'll find him! There's only so many places he could be!" Lola stated, equally tired, but more cranky. "Grr! Why did he have to run off like that?! And you just _had_ to punch him didn't you Lynn?!" The princess said accusingly.

The jock didn't even acknowledge her little sister, as she stayed uncharacteristically quiet during the whole trip. Her lower leg was bandaged up, but the 13 year old soon found she was unable to run, and even had some trouble walking. According to Lisa, when Lincoln bit into her leg, he partially ruptured her achilles tendon. She'd be unable to do any sort of sport until it was healed, which the young genius estimated it would be a couple weeks to a month. Lynn was utterly disheartened at the news. That was a months worth of baseball games, or doing much of anything, down the drain, all because Lincoln managed to nail her where it'd hurt the most.

At first, she was angry. Not only did Lincoln insult her skills and and nearly bring her to her knees in their fight, he effectively took away the one joy she's ever had: playing sports. All he had to do was accept the fact he was good luck, and yet he just had to come and tell everyone off. If he didn't want to be called bad luck, he shouldn't have went along with her accusation. And now, she can't maintain her favorite pass time, the family was torn, and they're out looking for him because he was too much of a sissy to stay in the house. But...that was just her pride getting in the way again...

The girl had to quite literally beat down her anger to see the truth. After forcing Lincoln to spend his time suffering from embarrassment and being overheated by constantly wearing her team's mascot, she completely ignored how he felt and was more worried about the luck he'd bring. What kind of sibling cares only for what aspect another may bring and not the person themselves? On top of the many times she's threatened him or messed with him for her own amusement, what really put the nail in the coffin was how she immaturely blamed him for the loss of her game when she forced him to come. Not only that, she single-handedly managed to get everyone in the family to not believe his claim when he told the truth about faking his bad luck, causing this incident to spiral out even further. Long story short, Lynn felt like a total bitch.

 _"Guess I brought this on myself...Lincoln's right...I am a loser..."_ The jock said in her mind, slumping in her seat. And she told him that she wished he was never born...

Lana was drifting asleep but suddenly snapped herself awake. "Ugh!" She groaned. "Can't we just call the police and let them handle this?!"

Her twin grabbed her by her jean straps. "Are you crazy?! Do you know what the police will do when they get involved?! I've seen so many crime movies so know what they'll do! They're going ask us what happened before Lincoln ran away and we'll have to come clean! Then, they'll!...They'll..." The cleanest of the two finally fell asleep, her adrenaline finally running dry. Lana followed suit a second later.

"As insane as Lola made it sound, she is right...local law enforcement will question what led up to Lincoln's disappearance, and the results would be quite...disasterous..." Lisa explained, rubbing her eyes. "Mother, I know you are worried sick for Lincoln...I am as well...but I doubt we'll be able to find him before our exhaustion reaches its peak..." The 4 year old yawned.

Like any concerned mother, Rita didn't want to call a quits on the search. She was still loathing in self-hate for going along with her daughter's claims about Lincoln. Out of the two adults, the matriarch was also the closest to him. Hell, she was still working on that new novel based on her son for crying out loud (no pun intended). Sure, Lincoln was a trouble-maker at times, but so were the rest of her children. So why did Lincoln seem to have it worse off? Recalling him questioning if it'd be better if he was a girl, Rita wanted to say no. After having so many daughters, bearing a son was the best thing to ever happen in her life, especially when you consider she had 5 more girls afterwards. Problem was, she didn't expect her son to lash out the way he did, leaving her and Lynn Sr. in a state of perplexed shock. They couldn't even find the will to separate their son and Lynn Jr. in their scuffle. This, and after agreeing to vacate Lincoln from the house and remove all of his furniture, she felt she effectively removed any right to call herself a mother...

Seeing her daughters' tired state, Rita knew they'd have to return home soon. With the twins and Lily fast asleep, and Lisa on her way to dreamland, that just left herself and Lynn awake. Looking into the rear view mirror, Rita could see the guilt ever so clear on the jock's face. It'd be stupid to ask if she was ok. No one in the family was, or will be until they found Lincoln. Focusing back on the road, Rita heard Lynn call to her.

"...Do you think we'll find him mom?..."

"We will sweetie...we will...but probably not tonight..."

" _Not tonight_? It's only been a few hours."

"And the rest of your sisters are asleep. Plus...you girls still have school tomorrow..."

"I don't care about school mom! All I want to find my brother and tell him I didn't...I didn't mean the stuff I said to him!..." Lynn yelled, startling the twins and shaking Lisa out of her sleep spell. "I love Lincoln...I really do...but why did I have to act so stupid?!" Lynn kicked the back of the front passenger seat in frustration.

"I know sweetie...I know...but like Lisa said, we can't find him when everyone is half asleep...I'm taking you girls home. I'll go back out to look for a few more hours..."

* * *

"Lincoln?!...Lincoln?!" Luna called out for the umpteenth time.

"Luna...if he was out here, we would have literally found him by now..." Lori stated. "And we've literally been walking in circles! I've seen that _same_ stop sign 4 times now!"

"Lori, you know damn well that we can't stop looking for him! It's our fault he ran off in the first place, and plus, he's only 11 years old!" The musician barked in anger.

"Luna, I know you're worried sick about him! I am too!"

"Funny, considering how much you use him as a foot stool than an actual brother..." Luna retorted.

"Excuse me?! You had just as much fault in this as I do! Leni included!" Lori pointed out.

"Even before then, you keep threatening to turn him into a pretzel just for being in your room!"

"Need I remind you of the time you _blasted_ him out of your room with your stupid sound equipment?!"

"Girls?" Leni asked.

"Want me to bring up the times you made all of us do stupid favors for rides?!" Luna fired back.

"Girls..." Leni called again, becoming more irate.

"Says the girl who tries as hard as she can to BREAK OUR EARDRUMS!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE TO TALK WITH THAT ATTITUDE YOU GET WHENEVER MOM AND DAD-"

"GIRLS!" Leni screeched. She was met with their angry glares. "Fighting isn't going to help us find Linky any faster! And you like, totes woke up the neighborhood."

Luna and Lori noted the number of houses that had their lights on, no doubt patrons that had their much-needed sleep disturbed by their senseless shouting. The eldest of the 3 checked her phone, noting it was past midnight. Looking between her sisters, she could see the bags of exhaustion in their eyes. Even Lori herself was growing tired. Four hours of searching and they had nothing to show of it. Given by the fact their parents hadn't texted or called to inform them they may have seen the boy, this meant that their trails turned cold as well.

However, at that moment, Lori's phone vibrated as a text from Rita came. Leni and Luna looked hopeful.

"Did someone find him?" The blonde asked.

Lori took a moment to read over the message. "No...mom's taking our sisters home as they're worn out...she'll go back out to look afterwards." Another text popped in. "Dad says Lucy is passed out and Luan is dead tired..."

Luna leaned against a lamp post. "So that's it then...we're just giving up?..." Her voice was on the edge of breaking.

"Luna..." Lori put the phone in her pocket. "We're not giving up...we just can't keep running around like this while we're exhausted...plus, we still have school tomorrow, but I'm sure mom and dad will still look for him during that time."

"Lori...after all the times we've gotten into fights, we still stood together as family...by far, this is the worst thing we've ever done...all Lincoln wanted was time to himself. He got it, but we ended up trying to push him out of our lives like he was some hater at a Mick Swagger concert..." Tears began rolling down the musician' face, her wonderful voice now sounding like a scratched record. "What kind of sisters are we?..."

Lori and Leni shared Luna's conviction. Leni and Luna were largely considered the closest of the older ones to have a good relationship with their brother, yet they ended up following some hive mentality to push him away because of their own selfishness. Lori always had a bit of a rocky relationship with Lincoln, but deep down, she cared for him almost like a mother, much like she did for the really young siblings. Taking out her phone, she dialed a number.

"Luna, I promise you that once tomorrow, once school is finished, we're going to bust our butts finding our brother...I won't care if it kills us. Finding him and making sure he's safe is all that matters..." Lori stated firmly. "Please be up right now Bobby..." She begged.

* * *

At the Santiago house, things were quiet as everyone rested. The two adults were fast asleep, needing to get ready for their jobs tomorrow. Lincoln was sleeping on the couch, the parents having been informed of the situation through Bobby. They weren't exactly comfortable with having to keep a child separated from his ever-so-worried family, but went along with it as Ronalda pointed out that it may help shed some light on the situation. Plus, if Lincoln didn't want to speak with his own blood, then why would he want to go back home?

Bobby was aroused from his sleep when his phone went off on the nightstand. Reaching over, he answered without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?.."

"Oh thank God...Boo Boo Bear, please, please, PLEASE tell me you've seen Lincoln at ANY point tonight..."

The Hispanic boy was hesitant to answer. Lori sounded desperate and he could tell from her broken voice she was on the verge of crying. But, he agreed with his sister (and the rest of the family) to help Lincoln out and hide him until it was clear what happened. Lincoln had yet to disclose that information, even after the constant questions.

"S-Sorry babe, but I haven't seen lil' bro before I hit the hay...d-did you check all over the town?"

Lori sighed on the other end. "Yeah...still got nothing though...our family is turning in for the evening, but...thanks for looking out for him..." She stated before hanging up. Guilt filled Roberto like a sponge. Lying to Lori when she was in such a state was the worst thing he felt he could ever do, and she'd most definitely kick his keester when she found the truth. But, he needed to help a brother out, and if anything, Lori herself most likely had a part to play in all of this.

Next door, Ronalda just lied there in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She tried to fall asleep, even playing a game until she was mentally tired, but all this did was make her rest her eyes for only an hour. There were just too many questions she had on her mind, and it all centered around her secret boyfriend. Ronnie Anne wasn't one to show pity or sadness, but it was literally tearing her heart up seeing Lincoln looking like a husk of his former self.

Raising her head slightly, she picked up on Bobby's conversation. "Of course they wouldn't find him...he's still here after all..." She muttered.

Staring at nothing for a minute longer, the girl finally sighed in annoyance before getting up and walked towards her door. She just had to know more, otherwise she'd be driving herself crazy all night with whacky theories. At least that's what she was telling herself. But what was really driving her, was the caring and compassionate she cleverly hid. She had to do something, anything, to reignite that flame Lincoln held inside, and she wanted to be there for him as much as possible. Carefully, Ronalda opened and shut her bedroom door, hoping no one noticed the creaks and groans it made.

On the couch, Lincoln tossed to his side, a tired gaze absent from his facial features. Since he didn't have any spare clothes with him, he was wearing some of Bobby's PJs. Obviously, they were too big for him, but his other clothes needed to be washed. Glancing at the clock above him, it was almost 1 in the morning. The ashen-haired boy let out a sigh, doubting he'd get any sleep at this point. He felt the the weight of the couch shift as someone sat down. Turning to his right, his gaze matched Ronalda's.

"Couldn't sleep?" He whispered.

"Yeah..." She whispered back.

"I can't either..."

"Still thinking about that fight you had earlier?"

Lincoln's eyes narrowed. "I'm guessing Lori called Bobby?..."

"Yeah, they're probably still out there looking for you..."

"Well like I said before...I don't want to speak with them..."

"Speaking and seeing are two different things Lincoln..."

"Same diff..." The boy retorted, situating himself so he was looking at the ceiling.

"Just...why? What did they do that made you come all the way out here?..."

They sat in tense silence for a few moments. Lincoln continued to lie there while the Hispanic girl just sat on the other half of the furniture, waiting. Ronalda knew he'd have to say something at some point. He couldn't just leave everyone playing the guessing game, and considering this was Ronnie Anne he was dealing with, she was unlikely to go back to bed until he confessed.

"...There are times when I say my sisters can be pretty selfish...I can be selfish sometimes...for any misdeeds they've done to me, I've always forgiven them...but I can't forgive them after what I went through over the past month...same for my parents..."

Ronalda gave a curious look, wanting him to continue.

"Remember that time I had been pelted by pies during the business model contest?"

"Yeah, I remember that. Must've been brutal getting hit with so many pies."

"It was worse...I originally planned to make chocolate pies, but my jerks for sisters ate all the chocolate I wanted to use...so I had to make due with salt and vinegar. Even though me and Clyde won, I smelled like garbage for a week, and my reputation was in the toilet until everyone forgot about the whole 'Girl Guru' nonsense...if those jerks didn't eat up my original idea then I wouldn't have had to come up with something else, and I wouldn't have ended up thinking about giving advice on girls..."

"What made you think you were suddenly an expert on females?"

"One of my friends wanted some advice on how to be noticed by someone he liked. It worked, so it seemed like a good idea at the time. Turns out my sisters' habits don't apply to everyone..." Lincoln glowered.

"...Did your sisters apologize for the whole mess?"

"Yeah...after I angrily told them why I ended up like I did when they laughed at me because I smelled like a skunk...now that I think about it, saying sorry doesn't make up for what I went through after the fact, not to mention the time they got us banned from the grocery store..." Lincoln's aggression began to rise as he started going into rant similar to his previous one, but this one was more controlled and contained no swears.

Ronalda was now beginning to see his sisters in a less positive light. Sure, the Louds in general were a bit chaotic, but she thought they still loved each other to the end. Guess even in a family a large as them, they aren't afraid of throwing each other under the bus at times. However, it still didn't explain one thing.

"Ok Loud, I get that your sisters can be jerks, but what made you run away? It didn't seem as bad before, so what changed? And try not to talk so loud...no pun there..." She whispered harshly.

"Sorry...remember on Monday when I told you about the squirrel suit?..." The tomboy nodded. "Having so many sisters, I have to attend their events every day of the week...I hardly, if at all, get time to myself...one day, I tried to hide from them so they wouldn't notice me, but I forgot about Lynn...she wanted me to come to her softball game, but I didn't want to because I wanted to get some time to read the new Ace Savvy comic..." He stared at the blanket in irritation. "She threatened me with her bat to make me attend her stupid game..."

"Wow Lynn, way to be a bigger jerk..." Ronalda muttered.

"That's not the worst part. Her team lost, I gave her my condolenses, and she calls me _bad, luck_..." He spat with venom in his tone, surprising the Hispanic girl. "At first, I thought about debunking her accusation, but since she banned me from attending anymore games, I saw it as my ticket of getting out of my sisters activities...I know it's selfish and families are supposed to support each other, but I really wanted the alone time...it worked well...a little _too_ well..."

"There's more?" Ronnie Anne asked, not liking where this was going.

"My lie got to the point where everyone, including my _parents_..." His silent anger was reaching it's peak. "They _boarded_ _up_ my room and locked me out of the house..."

Ronalda's eyes went wide. " They didn't..."

Lincoln nodded. "They did...oh and best part? They tried to sell my bed and dresser but had to _throw. Them! Out!_..." He was visibly shaking now as he recalled that unforgettable encounter at the dump. Ronalda grew a bit nervous and unconsciously shifted a couple inches away. The chip-toothed boy took a second to calm himself before he lost it again. "I realized I let the lie drag on for too long and it blew out of proportion, so I told them the truth...they didn't believe me, all because Lynn managed to win two games after I was banned...so I had to become the Squirrel's mascot to prove to them I wasn't bad luck...it worked, but now they thought I was _good luck_...that was even worse, as they cared more about my supposed luck at the expense of making me suffer bad through bad times and get close to suffering from heat stroke..." His anger lowered as he began discussing what happened hours ago. "I...I just couldn't take it anymore...everything I've been through lately and before that...I felt like I was bottling up my anger for a long time, so I released it...I told off my entire family...I even used words no boy my age should ever be using..."

He held up his bandaged hand. "This is the result of me losing complete control of myself and getting into a fight with Lynn...I told her she was a loser, she didn't take it well, and we had a major throw down...she bit my hand because I bit her in the leg...that's why there was blood on my mouth..." He sniffled a little. "At this point...I'm pretty sure I don't even have people I can call my sister, or parents for that matter..." Lincoln did his best to fight back some tears. He didn't want Ronnie Anne to see him crying, but at this point, he couldn't help it. "I guess my life may have been leading up this point...sure, there were good moments, but after today...I may as well have been disowned..." He stated in a broken voice before quietly sobbing to himself, similar to how Ronnie Anne found him earlier.

Ronalda now fully understood Lincoln's position. He had been pushed to his absolute limit of compassion and had found himself being mistreated by his family one too many times. She didn't know whether this was due to ignorance or just being oblivious, but one thing was certain in her mind: Lincoln's family was a pack of psychos. Parts of what Lincoln told her, she didn't wish to believe...but as she continued to stare at the heartbroken boy in front of her, it must've been true. She couldn't believe his entire family locked him out of the house on the premise of him being bad luck. And even when the truth was revealed, they _still_ had the gall to not believe him. Just thinking about it was making her blood begin to boil. From what she knew, Lincoln was a good kid who didn't deserve that kind of abuse. The Hispanic girl's own parents would never even _think_ about locking their own children out over such a petty reason.

Ronalda shook her head to get rid of the hateful thoughts cropping up. Right now, her main priority was helping Lincoln, and for the first time the two had secretly been in a close relationship, she began to start acting like his significant other. Crawling over to him, the tomboy embraced him in a comforting hug. She didn't care if her shirt got stained by his tears, opting to rub his back as a means to help ease his pain.

"Lincoln...I had no idea you went through so much living in a family as large as yours...to be honest, my extended family is probably equally as big, or more so...but I couldn't imagine living with 12 other people in the same house...I would've lost it _a lot_ sooner than you...I guess you can say you're tougher than me emotionally...s-sorry if this being sappy, but...I just...I just want you to know I'll always be there for you and protect you..." Ronalda blushed visibly. _"Man that sounded so embarrassing, but at least it's the truth..."_ She stated in her head.

Hearing Ronnie Anne's comforting words helped him stop the water works. However, he could help but give a small laugh at the few words she said. "You...you know...it's kinda funny when you try to be sappy..." He said, his voice a mix between being broken and general laughter.

Ronalda softly flicked his ear. "You jerk...I'm trying to be helpful and that's the best you can say?"

"Well, I'm not crying anymore...if that helps..." He gave a small smile.

"I guess it does." The tomboy released him. "You gonna be ok?"

"...I guess..." The boy replied, uncertain.

When Lincoln didn't say anything more, Ronnie Anne was about to get up and head back to her room. However, she took note of the growing redness on Lincoln's cheeks. "What?"

"...Usually when I sleep at night...I have Bun-Bun to help me sleep..."

"Bun-Bun?..."

"...I still sleep with a stuffed rabbit ok?..." He admitted.

Ronalda couldn't help but laugh. "I grew out of that phase when I was 4."

"...Can you stay here...with me?..." Lincoln asked slowly, hoping she wouldn't deck him for this later.

The Hispanic girl took a moment to think it over. She pulled a look that suggested she was irritated, but it was the opposite. She just wanted to see him flinch uncontrollably. It didn't help that Lincoln looked so cute when he intimidate by her. Giving a smirk, "Make some room Lame-O."

Lincoln was rather surprised Ronnie Anne agreed, but then again, it seemed she wanted to live up to her previous words. Shifting to the right, the girl lied down beside him. Getting comfortable in the body heat he left, Ronalda got situated under the blanket. The two lied there next to each other, staring at the ceiling. After a few moments, they began to drift to sleep. Ronalda turned onto her right side so she was facing the TV. Before she could let the Sand Man fully grasp her, she felt Lincoln's arm slide around her waist.

"Ronnie Anne?..."

"Hmm?..."

"Thanks...for everything..." The boy topped it off by planting a kiss to her cheek.

The tomboy was thankful she was facing away from him, cause her face was a red as a cherry. And yet, she smiled. Placing her hand into his, the two finally fell asleep in their comforting embrace.

 **A/N: Please excuse the late reply, had a lot of stuff to work with. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this. It was a bit touch and go for a while, especially when it came to making the scenes with the Louds searching for Lincoln. I'm pretty pleased with the little segment at the end though. I think I could make a decent RonaldaxLincoln fic if I put my mind to it. I do thank Shell Shock for going deeper into Ronalda's character. I knew she just used her toughness as a front for how she really is. But now that Ronnie Anne knows the truth, what's going to happen next? I already know the answer. Also, throwing this out there, I doubt more fight scenes will come up.**


	6. Making Tough Decisions

**A/N: I'm am pleased to see that most liked the little shipping moment I included in the last chapter. Didn't get as much reviews in that one, but might be due to the fact I released that chapter around midnight EST. But, after all the crap Lincoln's been through, he really needed someone to hold him and tell him things would be alright. Well, technically they aren't 'alright' because he's still missing from his family, and the boy isn't going to just pop back home and apologize any time soon. However, avoiding his sisters is easier said than done.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

On this typical sunny day in Royal Woods, Lynn Jr. was practicing some of her soccer moves in the backyard. Given her history with balls in the house, any time she wanted to practice some contact sport, she had to do it outside. However, there was one grating issue when it came to practice: at times, she needed a partner. An obvious choice would be to ask her teammates if they had the time. But instead, the 13 year old decided to go to the one person she could always trust, her brother. Although she wouldn't say it out loud, she always enjoyed it when Lincoln practiced with her. It wasn't because of how easy it was to score points due to the boy's lack of interest or physical fitness, but more on the lines that she found it to be good quality time for the both of them. And because she wanted to get Lincoln out of his room so he wouldn't holed up in there all day.

Grabbing the ball, Lynn walked through the backdoor and into the kitchen. Upon entry, she saw her comedian of a sister cooking up something in the oven. "Hey Luan, have you seen Lincoln?"

"Lincoln? Whose Lincoln?" She asked, genuinely confused.

The jock gave a dry laugh. "Very funny. You can't tell me you don't remember our brother." She smirked.

"Um, we never had a brother, we only have 8 other sisters. But since you seem hard pressed about this Lincoln guy, is he your new 'friend'?" Luan stated in a suggestive tone as she raised her eyebrows.

Lynn looked at her in disgust. "What?! Ew, no! Why would I like Lincoln like _that_?!"

The 14 year old gave her typical laugh. "Just saying, there hasn't been any other guy in this house besides dad since, forever. So who knows." She continued to tease.

Lynn grew red around her cheeks and stormed out of the kitchen, Luan's laughter following her out. In the living room, the sports lover saw Leni on the couch, watching a fashion show. "Hey Leni, you seen Lincoln anywhere?"

"Lincoln? I don't know any Lincoln's here..." The blonde stated, looking around for a moment. She spotted a brown, rounded out piece of copper on the floor. "Wait! Here he is!" She grabbed the object, which turned out to be a penny.

The jock slapped her forehead in frustration. "Our brother isn't Abraham Lincoln Leni..."

"Wait, we have a brother? Did mom like, have another baby or something?!" The 16 year old shouted in joy. "He and Lily will be totes adorable together!"

"Uh...Lincoln's 11..." Lynn stated, now getting confused.

"Oooh. Well, there's Lucy, Lola, Lana, Lisa...mmmm...Luan, Luna, Lori, Leni..." She recalled her memory to see if she had met anyone in the family named Lincoln, besides the penny she grabbed. Looking back to where Lynn was, she noticed she was gone. "Lynn turned invisible!" She screamed in terror.

In truth, the sports fanatic actually went upstairs. That would be the last time she asked Leni about anything. She also probably shouldn't have asked Luan about it, knowing she likes to joke around. Stomping towards the room at end of the hallway, Lynn threw the door open, only to find nothing but rows of shelves filled with lenin, bed sheets, towels, and some stuff that was stowed there for safe keeping. Now, Lynn was truly confused. This room became Lincoln's bedroom shortly after Lily came into their lives. Yet it looked as if no one ever lived in there.

Growing into a panic, she knocked on Lisa's door. "Lisa, you in there?!"

An irritable groan came in response. Seconds later, the child prodigy opened the door. "What is it now?..."

"Please tell me this isn't what I think I'm seeing right now!" Lynn pointed towards the closet.

Lisa poked her head out to see what got her sports-obsessed sister so riled up. "It's just the hall closet..." She stated in a dull tone.

"But it shouldn't be a closet! That's Lincoln's room! Don't you remember him?! He's been my brother for 11 years!"

"Lynn, we never _had_ a brother. You may not remember it due to being only 2 years old, but our maternal unit was harboring another child that unfortunately ended up being a miscarriage. Its gender wasn't even identified yet, so it is possible that could've been the brother you speak of. From what I know, our parental units hadn't tried to have another child for a few years before Lucy was conceived. Sorry to say, but we do not have a male sibling." With that, Lisa shut the door to resume whatever she had cooked up in her lab.

Lynn stood there, completely petrified. She gripped her head as fear creeped into her thoughts. "This can't be happening...please tell me this isn't true..."

"Oh it's very much true Lynn." Spoke a voice that sounded much like her own.

Turning, the jock was shocked to find another person who looked _exactly_ like her, with a few differences. This Lynn had darker hair, wore darker clothing, had red eyes, and held a smug look that made it seem like she took joy in the suffering of others.

"Who...who are you?..."

"Who else, idiot? I'm _you_. Your other half to be exact."

The jock grew incredulous. "That's ridiculous! How can I have _two_ halves?!"

"Simple Lynda. I'm the part of you that relishes in the spotlight. We always like to be the star player, not caring much about anyone else. We take pride in crushing our enemies, but the best part?" The counterpart grinned, showing her razor-edged teeth. "Even when we lose, it's never our fault."

"W-What are you getting at?" Lynn asked nervously.

"Oh don't play dumb with me. We both know that Lincoln was at fault for ruining our chances to win with his stupid bad luck. It couldn't possibly be because we didn't practice hard enough." The other Lynn said sarcastically. "He even had the nerve to call us losers. As such, I had to get rid of him. Always looking out for #1, right?" She flashed that same smug grin.

Lynn grew extremely angry. Grabbing her twin, she pinned her to the wall. "What did you do to him?!" Evil Lynn just grinned. The jock banged her against the wall in response. "Answer me you little fucker!"

"Simple Lynda. I just made sure he _never_ , _existed_..."

Part of the wall moved to reveal a large screen. It showed Lynn only being 2 years old at the time, very young and very explorative. Rita sure had her hands full getting the little tomboy to sit still. Her mother turned away for a moment to go grab something out of the kitchen while little Lynn played around with a ball. But soon, little Lynn held a smirk that resembled that of her counterpart. When Rita came back, the toddler threw the ball at the matriarch, which impacted her abdominal area. Rita temporarily had the wind knocked out of her from the impact, but looked be ok otherwise. However, the damage was actually more severe than expected.

A few days passed with Rita having a somber expression on her face with Lynn Sr. trying to comfort her. All of the girls asked what was wrong, but the parents told them it was nothing they needed to worry about. Lynn quickly put the incidents together and turned to her counterpart. She was absolutely livid as the girl raised her fist.

"You...YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!" The jock flung her fist at Evil Lynn, but to her surprise, the girl vanished into thin air, along with the rest of the hallway. Lynn stood alone in a black, distorted void, trying to get a hold of her bearings. To make matters worse, she heard her twin's taunting voice echo throughout the area.

"Sure, I killed him. But it's what you wanted right? You wished for him to _never be born_ , right?" Several screens popped up around Lynn, showing the fight she had with Lincoln just hours earlier. They kept repeating the words she didn't mean to use on him over and over again. Lynn sunk to the ground, covering her ears as she tried to block them out, but to no avail. "I didn't mean to say that to him!...I swear I didn't!" The poor girl was on the verge of crying.

"Well what can I say Lynn? _Careful what you wish for_." Evil Lynn's laugh echoed throughout the dimension, making Lynn begin to sob uncontrollably. "What's wrong crybaby?! Wake up and smell the flowers! Wake up! Wake up!"

In real time, Lucy was shaking her roommate vigorously. "Lynn, wake up!"

The jock had finally awoken, screaming bloody murder. Panting, she quickly looked around, noting she was back in her room, Lucy was standing next to her, and that she was sweating profusely. Lifting the covers up, she saw she still had bandages around her ankle. "It...it was only a dream?..."

"Must've been a gruesome nightmare." Lucy stated monotonously.

"How...how'd you know to wake me?..." Lynn wiped some sweat off her forehead.

"You were talking in your sleep. If I had to guess...it was about Lincoln..."

Lynn slowly nodded, looking at her injury. "Did...did mom and dad find him?..."

The goth hung her head. "Sigh...they didn't...but they did stop by the hospital to get you some stuff for your foot..." Lucy pointed over to the door. Leaning on the wall was a pair of crutches and an Achilles strap.

The sports lover groaned. "Do I really need the crutches? I can walk just fine without them!" She stated, moving her legs to get up. However, the second her foot with the injury touched the floor, she recoiled as pain shot through her.

"Lynn...you could barely walk yesterday, and I had to help you get to the car. The strap is to keep your foot straight while it heals, but you'll need those supports to move around. Unless you prefer to lose your foot entirely." Lucy explained.

The goth had a point there. If she lost her foot (or any of her limbs for that matter), she could kiss her dream of being a professional athlete goodbye. She's already lucky enough that Lincoln's bite wound didn't get infected. Being Lynn, injuries were practically second nature with her. She was probably the only Loud in the family that would require some sort of medical attention on a frequent basis. However, she also had a lot of pride, and didn't like it when something made her appear weak. During one round of soccer practice, she took the phrase 'break a leg' quite literally by accidentally landing on her left leg the wrong way. The shin bone was broken in two and required her to use a wheel chair for several weeks. At first, she refused any sort of help from her siblings, but eventually she managed to open up and accept their assistance.

Even though she hated being in that situation in the first place, she learned that her family was just looking out for her and wanted to aid her through her trials. Plus, no matter how you look at it, there was no way she could go up the stairs by herself or even take a shower, something she was still trying to figure out before she finally decided to get help. Lucy was just being the concerned little sister she should be.

Giving a small sigh, "Bring me that strap please..." Lucy nodded before walking over and tossing the item to her sister. Lynn carefully slipped it over her foot, wincing a little as it pulled on her tendon until it was kept straight. "What time is it?"

"5:30."

"In that case, I'm going downstairs to eat something..." Getting off the bed, the jock hopped over to her crutches and grabbed them for support. That hellish nightmare she experienced was something she did not want to go through again, and she doubted she'd get back to sleep before her alarm clock awakened her.

* * *

About the same time, Ronalda was snoring lightly until she felt something nuzzling her back. Creaking her eyes open, she wondered what it was that was touching her until she saw her hand still clasped around another. Remembering the events of last night, her cheeks reddened, partially because she was happy, and the fact Lincoln was nuzzling his face into her back as if she was Bun-Bun herself. Knowing his arm was still around her waist, she lightly squeezed the boy's hand, causing him to pulled her a little closer. The tomboy wasn't sure if Lincoln was still asleep or fully aware of what he was doing, but it didn't matter to her. She just wanted to lie in this bliss for 5 more minutes. Unfortunately, one look at the clock told her she would have to abandon the moment.

Eyes widening, she uttered a swear as she knew her parents would be up soon. If they caught them in their current positon, God knows what would be in store for them. And Ronalda certainly _did not_ want her parents prying into her secret relationship. Giving a saddened sigh, she slowly pulled herself out of Lincoln's grasp, being careful not to wake him. He probably did notice the lack of warmth next to him as Ronnie Anne saw his arm moved around for a bit before resting again. She couldn't help but note how peaceful he looked while sleeping. This made her happy knowing all the crap his family had put him through, and she was there to make sure he got a good night's rest. Otherwise, he'd probably be suffering a nightmare or something. Upon hearing the alarm clock go off in her parent's bedroom, Ronalda quickly and quietly shuffled to her room and pretended to be asleep.

An hour passed before sunlight began to creep through the blinds in the living room, their parents already out of the abode for the day. Lincoln was sleeping soundly, before the pattering of pans in the kitchen stirred him. Slowly opening his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that he was still at the Santiago household. At first, he had been hoping that maybe this whole thing was just a bad dream, but as memories of his triad came fresh to his mind, he couldn't help but sulk a bit. This didn't last long though, as the scent of delicious food hit his nostrils.

Stomach grumbling, the Loud boy got off the couch and wandered to the kitchen. To his surprise, he found Ronnie Anne cooking up breakfast and Bobby was chowing on waffles.

"Oh hey bro! Glad you're up!" The teen spoke, though his voice was muffled due to food in his mouth.

"Bobby, don't talk with your mouth full." Ronalda scolded.

"Sorry Nie Nie, but you make the _best_ waffles!" He stated before resuming his meal.

" _Nie Nie_?" Lincoln asked amusingly, causing the tomboy to blush.

"It's...my nickname..."

"Well, at least I have something to call you now." The 11 year old chuckled.

"Call me that, and you won't like the results..." Ronalda said half-jokingly, making Lincoln wonder if she was being serious or not. She then heard the boy's stomach growl again, making her smirk. "Someone's hungry."

"Y-Yeah...you guys don't mind do you?"

"What kind of question is that Lame-O? You had dinner last night too."

"True...sorry..." Lincoln paused, forming a frown. "...I still have a lot on my mind..."

"Wanna talk about it?" Bobby asked.

Ronalda looked uncertain. Sure, she managed to get Lincoln to spill the beans overnight, but there was no guarantee when it came to describing it to anyone else. The look on her face said it all when she noted the determined look Lincoln formed as he thought about it.

"Yeah...I think it's time to let you in on what happened..."

"You sure Lincoln?..." Ronalda asked.

The white-haired boy nodded. "If there's one thing you made me realize last night, it's that I can't expect to keep quiet about this forever...the truth will come out eventually..." He sat down at the table.

"Alright...how many waffles you want?"

"Just two."

Ronalda nodded and poured more batter into the waffle iron. She also had some eggs and bacon cooked up too. While this was happening, Lincoln told Roberto the whole story. Sparing no details, he explained the whole situation involving luck that happened at his house over the past month, his part in it, what happened when he let his lie get out of hand, and the amount of crap he went through during his 'good luck' phase. Ronnie Anne joined the table when Lincoln started talking about the some of the misdeeds his sisters put Lincoln through, and to her surprise there was a even _more_ on that list along with they discussed last night. Even Bobby left his mouth hanging open in shock from hearing everything. And Lincoln wasn't even finished.

"So after all of that...I felt so angry I actually cursed at all of them..."

"Wait, so your saying...you actually-" Bobby started.

"Yes, Bobby...I swore up and down like no tomorrow...I actually feel a little bad about doing it, but I was just so mad...it got worse when I fought with Lynn. I scolded her because of her attitude when she dragged me to her game, but I guess she _really_ hates being called a loser..."

"So that's why your hand looks bad..." Roberto noted.

Lincoln nodded and looked at his right hand. It dawned to him when he started eating that, without his writing hand, he effectively couldn't do any school work. Even holding the fork in his left felt weird. He did try to write with his lefty some time ago, but the words came out completely illegible. Like Ronalda, Roberto was completely aghast at what Lincoln had been put through. He couldn't even think that Lori would even do such a thing. Sure, the 17 year old could be rather...bossy at times, but he would never think she'd be a part of what appeared to be some crusade against her only brother. Hell, he _ended_ their relationship once just because Lincoln made Nie Nie cry. And right now, he was thinking about doing the same thing, but for the opposite reasons.

"Bro...words cannot describe how sorry I feel for you...I'm even shocked that Lori of all people who do such a thing. I mean, like seriously?! Who barfs on someone then takes a picture of it?! She is _so_ not my babe anymore! In fact, I'm going to call her right now!" The teen stated, grabbing his phone.

This time, Lincoln had to smack the phone out of his hands. "Oh come on! It's lucky this thing has a protective case!"

"But Bobby, if you tell Lori you know everything, that means she'll know you knew where I was the whole time...and they'll come here..." The boy explained in distain.

The man with many jobs gave a sigh. "True...but I don't think you realize how serious this is Lincoln. Banning you from activities is one thing, but purposely locking you out of the house?! That's a criminal offense!"

Both kids grew wide-eyed. "How do you know that's a felony?" Ronalda asked.

"Working as a security officer at the mall. I had to learn a lot of laws, plus some that wouldn't pertain to just stuff that happens there. But as I was saying, purposely kicking out a minor that hasn't been legally emancipated is considered child abandonment, which is a crime punishable by being given a misdemeanor or a felony. Since this sounds the like first time this has happened, both your parents would be charged with a misdemeanor and...well...they _might_ be sent to prison for maybe a year?" Bobby was unsure over how to word that last part, but he wanted to try to sound as sweet as possible to ease the news.

"MY PARENTS COULD GO TO JAIL FOR THIS?!" Lincoln yelled, making the teen wince. Sure, Lincoln was more annoyed than shocked at the fact his family kicked him out the first time, but he never thought it'd probably attract the police.

"Yeah...sorry bro, but something like this just can't be ignored..."

"I-I guess...but don't call the police yet...I'll do it myself..." Lincoln said in an uncertain tone.

"You sure Linc?" Roberto asked.

"Y-Yeah...I just need some time to think about it..." The boy stared as his food. After getting this unexpected newsflash, he lost his appetite. "Sorry Ronalda, but I'm not so hungry right now..."

"It's alright Lincoln." She replied, taking his plate to cover it with foil. "Oh, and your clothes are clean."

"Thanks..."

Shortly after that awkward breakfast, Lincoln was back in his regular clothing and Ronnie Anne sported her usual attire as well. The ashen-haired boy stood outside the front door, staring up at the clear blue sky whilst being deep in thought. It wasn't every day that you heard your folks could actually be sent to prison. Sure, Lincoln himself had been subjected to being held in custody at the mall once because he and Clyde fell for a scheme set up by an undercover mall cop, but that ordeal only last half an hour. This was a _yearly_ sentence he was thinking of slapping his parents with. If they were arrested, what would become of his siblings, or even himself? Sure, he lost a great amount of love and respect he had for them all, but could Lincoln actually have it in him to break apart his family like that? There were so many things he had to consider...

Ronalda stepped out the door with her backpack on, skateboard in hand, and caught Lincoln in a daze. "You alright?"

He turned and did a quick peek. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine..."

"Lincoln..."

"Ronnie, I'm alright. I just have a lot on my plate right now...I kinda hate my family, but still...I still don't want to go home just yet, but we will have to stop by my place because all of my stuff is there...but I don't want you to be late for school..."

The Hispanic girl softly held his hand. "I wouldn't care if I'm late if it means helping you. Plus, you looked silly wearing Bobby's clothes." She gave a small laugh.

Admittingly, Lincoln hadn't known much about Ronnie Anne. Just yesterday, he learned that what her actual name was. She was always brash and very rough around the edges when they were in public, mostly because they had been keeping their relationship a secret for some time. However, he never knew what she was like outside of her usual 'tough girl' attitude. The boy never knew someone like her could also be kind and compassionate. She gave him comfort and confidence when he was feeling down, like a real girlfriend would. Perhaps, this was how Lori felt when Bobby cheers her up.

Lincoln probably wouldn't say it out loud, but he was actually glad that Ronalda decided to choose him as her target for bullying. So, giving a smile, "Alright. Let's go."

* * *

A 15 minute walk was all it took for the couple to reach the home Lincoln currently despised. Thankfully, Vanzilla was absent, and there was hardly a sound coming from the abode. Perhaps the occupants already left for school, they hoped.

Lincoln cautiously peeked through the window, finding no one in the living room. "Looks like its clear..."

"So if they locked you out the first time, how do you expect to get in?"

"The kitchen door has a doggy door for Charles. I'm pretty sure both of us can fit through it." The boy stated, walking around to the backyard.

Poking his head through the small door, he found no one to be in the kitchen. He crawled through quite smoothly before opening the door for Ronalda. The Hispanic girl never thought she'd be in the Loud house when it was all quiet. Then again, what would she expect when most of the occupants were away doing their daily business? Lincoln stepped into the living room, spotting his backpack exactly where he left it last night. The memories came rushing back to him as he looked around. Small patches of blood were seen on the carpet, and there was even a noticeable crack in the wall he pushed Lynn into during their fight.

Ronnie Anne took note of this as she walked around Ground Zero, grimacing a bit at the blood patches. 'Lincoln' and 'violent' usually didn't go in the same sentence. Yet, the damage caused by his and Lynn's fight was quite clear, despite how limited it was. The tomboy sincerely hoped she wouldn't have to meet that side of him any time soon. She could also tell Lincoln was getting caught up in his memories again, as his hands were curling into fists.

Snapping her fingers in his face, "Lincoln, let's get your stuff and get out of here."

"Right, sorry..."

They walked up the stairs and went into Lincoln's room. The boy smiled as he picked up Bun-Bun, giving the little plush a small squeeze. He then looked in a few bins to find his large camper bag.

"I still can't believe they actually wanted to sell your stuff..." The tomboy said bitterly, noting the lack of furniture.

"Well, I think we both can say my family is a pack of morons..." Lincoln stated as he packed a good amount of clothes into his bag. After getting his clothing items, he also packed some of his Ace Savvy comics, toys, computer, and a few bathroom necessities.

Once he was finished, the duo walked back to the Santiago house to stash his bag. It was rather heavy, so Ronalda had to help carry it.

"Geez, did you have to pack your entire room into this?"

"Hah...it's not _everything..._ I own..." Lincoln panted. He just didn't want to walk around all day with his stuff. It'd draw a lot of unnecessary attention, and he'd get back cramps. Once they got back to the house, they set the bag in the living room. Unfortunately, the time it took getting to and from the Loud House meant school would start soon.

Lincoln glanced at the clock. "Uh oh. School starts in 10 minutes! We'll never get there in time!"

Ronalda smirked. "Don't worry, I got an idea." She glanced at her skateboard. The look she gave meant she had a devious (and dangerous) idea cooked up. Lincoln gave an audible gulp.

Minutes later, two screams could be heard barreling down the road. One was of laughter and excitement, while the other was of sheer terror. Ronalda was speeding downhill on her skateboard with Lincoln in tow right behind her. He was on a pair of skates, holding onto her hand for dear life. Both had their backpacks on, but managed to compensate for the extra weight. However, Lincoln was leaning so far back his bag was scraping the ground at times.

"THIS IS CRAZY!" He yelled.

"I KNOW RIGHT?! IT'S AWESOME! WOOO!" Came the girl's response.

They went over a couple of small bumps. Ronnie Anne kept her balance steady, though Lincoln felt like he was going to lose it.

"ALMOST THERE!"

"I THINK I'M GONNA PUKE!"

"THEN TURN YOUR HEAD TO THE SIDE!"

Close to the school, the road had flattened out. However, there were at least 2 intersections. They sped past the first one without issue, but the second had only a few seconds before the light changed.

"WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE THAT!"

"OH YES WE WILL!" Ronalda stated as she sped up.

The driver of a car was sitting patiently up ahead. Once the light turned green, the man lightly stepped on the accelerator. Unfortunately for him, a couple of kids just barreled right in front of his car, forcing him to hit the brakes hard.

The man leaned out the window in anger. "You crazy kids!" Then, he noted a rancid smell. Looking at the front of his ride, he saw it was covered in vomit. "OH YOU'VE GOT TO BE-" His curse was cut off by the cars behind him honking their horns.

Ronalda steadily slowed to a stop, kicking her skateboard up. "We gotta do that again. That, was just awesome." She turned to Lincoln, whose cheeks were still green after puking. "Oooo...maybe not."

"D-Don't worry Ronnie Anne, I'm-" Lincoln paused as he felt more vomit coming up, but he managed to push it back down. "I'm good." He chuckled nervously.

"If you say so. See you later Lame-O." The Hispanic girl ran into the building. Lincoln followed suit once he was sure he wouldn't empty his stomach anymore.

* * *

The day carried on like it usually did. Luckily, Lincoln hadn't ran into any of his sisters, and it seemed no one else knew of his current situation, not even Clyde. Even so, his depressed state was quite easy to see. Even Ms. Johnson asked him if he was doing ok after class, especially when she noted his hand injury. When lunch time rolled around, Lincoln decided to head to the library. As hungry as he was due to skipping breakfast, he needed to find some important information. Along the way, he spotted Lana and Lola in their class, forcing him to duck out of sight. The middle child was also a bit paranoid about Lucy creeping up on him, but thankfully he spotted in her drama class, so that went out the window.

Stepping into the library, Lincoln made his way to a computer and typed in a simple search; Child Neglect. Several answers came up, most of them easily readable on the search engine itself.

"Let's see...A man or woman commits the crime of abandonment of a child when, being a parent, legal guardian, or other person legally charged with the care or custody of a child less than 18 years deserts a child with the wholly intent to abandon it. Abandonment is a Class A misdemeanor..."

The boy pulled up a link to the Michigan legislature. On it, it listed all the possible charges for child neglect. After reading the first two, Lincoln deduced that he doubted his parents would be charged for first and second degree, as he was sure their obliviousness didn't cause 'serious physical or mental harm'. Then again, he was attacked by that gator on Sunday and he did hate his blood relatives to a tee...

He then read the third and fourth degree cases. "The person knowingly or intentionally commits an act that under the circumstances poses an unreasonable risk of harm or and the act results in physical harm to the child. This is a felony punishable by imprisonment for no more than two years..." Lincoln thought this over. Due to his sisters not looking out for him, he ended up getting attacked by a rival team and junk yard dogs. However, he wasn't too sure if that applied to the parents. Still, they might be held responsible for it.

"The fourth degree...the person knowingly or intentionally commits an act that under the circumstances poses an unreasonable risk of harm or injury to a child, regardless of whether physical harm results. This is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for no more than a year..." The boy winced. This definitely sounded like what he went through.

Lincoln slumped in his chair, staring blankly at the screen. Considering the circumstances, the reasoning behind his whole family locking him out was outlandish in itself. The police would very likely not hold any restraint in condemning the Louds for refusing to house one of their children on the pretense he was bad luck. They might even be pissed enough to charge them with 2nd degree neglect since it stated it didn't matter whether actual harm was caused, and leaving him outside could've very likely ended in serious tragedy. And that's a _ten year_ imprisonment for the first offense. It didn't help that they intended to sell his furniture as if they didn't expect him to return. It seemed like they were going to turn his room back into the closet it used to be.

The ashen-haired boy massaged his temples as he tried to figure out what to do. His parents would most definitely be found guilty for their crimes and face a possibility of up to a decade incarcerated. They would deserve it though. Locking out their only son, attempting to sell his furniture, not even believing him when he told them his bad luck was a lie, they always seemed to listen to their daughter's more than anything else. This was even proved further by the fact they treated him like some mere good luck charm and not the son they always wanted. It was almost like he was some mistake in the gene pool of his family, and this was probably true given what Lynn told him before he ran away.

Lincoln had fished out his cell phone as more negative thoughts creeped in, giving a hard glare at the device. So what if Lynn won two stupid games? That didn't give them the right to just abandon him like that. Even his old man told him to back away from the house a bit more before everyone closed the windows. They were so worried about his bad luck, that none of them would allow him to sleep in his own room! And on top of the that, why did it seem like most of the time he had to learn some lesson while his sisters' got away with the stuff they did? Sure, _sometimes_ they'd learn a thing or two, but the very next day they'd end up forgetting about it. At this point, the boy was so fed up he dialed emergency services.

As the dial tone rang, Lincoln read over the punishments again. But this time, his rational side began to kick in. A year in prison was still a long time without seeing your birth makers. He would be fine with not being around them for a week, maybe a month, but a year? Or _10_? How bad would that be in the long haul? Now that he thought about it, his sisters might be put into foster care considering they didn't make near as enough to keep up on the mortgage in the house, not to mention the monthly bills and food. Even worse, they might be put in Aunt Ruth's care. Visiting their great aunt was bad enough, but _living_ with her? Lincoln grimaced. All of this came down to one, single question...

Was he really going to break his family apart, just to get back at them for their stupidity?...

"911 what's your emergency?" A calm voice spoke on the line, breaking the boy from his thoughts. There was no response. "...Hello?...Hello?" Still nothing. "Stupid prank callers..."

Lincoln gave a sigh. "Sorry...wrong number..." He said as he hung up.

The boy placed his phone on the desk before covering his face with his good hand. He just couldn't do it. He had the perfect moment to bring in the legal system, but decided against it. As much as he had the right to make a potentially much-needed court case out of this, the consequences were far too great. Sure, he wanted his family to realize what they've done, but spending years in prison was way too harsh in his mind. Due to this, Lincoln doubted his parents would call the police themselves. If they did, Lynn Sr. and Rita would have to confess to what happened, and spend their years unable to see any of their children growing up. Lily might even forget who her parents were, and worse of all, it was also possible Lincoln's sisters would hate him for the rest of his life. The Louds would be nothing but a broken family. Also, according to Ronalda, they were looking high and low for him throughout the night. Two wrongs don't make a right...

What pained him the most now, was that even after all his family did to him, Lincoln knew deep down he still loved them...in any other case, some may call him weak for not calling the cops, but the boy still wore his heart on his sleeve. He silently cried to himself as he was reminded of the fun times he had with his sisters and parents. He really wished it hadn't come to this point, but somehow it did...

"Lincoln?!" A hushed voice spoke. The white-haired boy looked up in surprise, seeing potentially the last person he wanted to talk to...

 **A/N: Ok, this is yet another interesting one, and I'm pretty sure it'll cause some intense debate. However, to alleviate this, I'll tell you why Lincoln didn't call the police.**

 **Like it's stated in the story, could he really go that long without seeing his parents? Sure, the boy is deeply upset at them, but he doesn't want anyone to spend time in prison. Plus, I doubt his parents would survive in the slammer. They would be broken by the time the were released. Also, considering there's no one else who could care for the kids (not even Albert), only other option might as well have been foster care. Also, the reason he didn't call the police is because it's been done before in other stories, and I want to avoid this cliché. It's more challenging to make a story to see how it'll solve itself without police intervention (especially since more NSL fics have popped up), and I don't want people to be reading the same thing. As such, I'm going for something different. Sure, I know some of you wanted to see him do that, but the fallout of doing so would be too great for him to handle.**

 **The idea of Ronalda and Lincoln barreling downhill on skateboards and roller blades was based off a drawing made recently by CoyoteRom on Deviant Art. You'll find it there.**

 **Now, at the end, Lincoln meets someone who he didn't expect to see so soon. 3 Guesses as to who it is.**


	7. Getting Your Point Across

**A/N: Welcome to chapter 7 my lovely readers. With college out of the way, I can hope to update more frequently. As of now, I'm trying to work both this chapter and Lisa's session, though I've kinda been procrastinating on them because of trying to unwind after the finals (Killing Floor 2 is great for letting off steam).**

 **I'll admit that in chapter 6 I may have made the guess as to who Lincoln saw after backing down from calling the po-po a bit too obvious. After some time to think about it, I got an idea that you'll likely find...interesting. Spoiler: A good amount of you hit the nail on the head.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

"Oh great...it's little Ms. 'Can't-handle-a-little-teasing'..." Lincoln hissed quietly.

The emo cringed when he called her that. "I...I didn't expect you to be at school of all places..."

"I might be gone from home, but even I know I still have to go to school...and better question is, what are _you_ doing here? I thought you'd be curled up in a vent somewhere writing your stupid poems..."

After hearing Lincoln's triad last night, Lucy shouldn't be surprised by his harsh tone. Yet, it still stung her heart that the calm, caring, and compassionate brother she used to know had been replaced by someone who probably couldn't give a shit about what she thought.

"T-The library is also a n-nice, quiet place to write..." She stammered.

" _Sure_ it is..." Lincoln turned away from her, closing the Internet browser and beginning to log off the computer.

Lucy simply stood there, conflicted. Part of her was happy to find Lincoln looking in better shape than when he ran off the previous night. She even noticed his hand was wrapped in medical bandages. Yet, she couldn't shake the ever increasing amount of guilt that was welling up inside her. Usually, she's the superstitious one in the family and would know right off the bat whether or not her own brother was bad luck. Yet, like all 8 year olds, Lucy was still gullible, and she fell into the same train of thought her family did. And Lynn herself proved to be an even bigger believer of luck than Lucy was.

But the emo had to do something. While it was clear Lincoln had gotten help from an unknown source, everyone wished for his return. If Lucy could convince him to come back home, the family could try to work things out. But given the boy's attitude, this wouldn't be easy.

"Lincoln...I know you're still upset about what we did, but please...we miss you and everyone in our family deeply regrets what we did to you...we spent hours searching all over town and came up short...Lori even asked her boyfriend where you were and he didn't say anything..."

 _"No surprise there..."_ Lincoln thought.

Lucy silently walked up to him. "It's likely too late to say it but...I'm sorry for not believing your truth about not having any sort of luck and using you...if anything, I really should've told some sense into Lynn about what luck really is..."

The Ace Savvy fan didn't say anything to her. Lucy looked at the floor in defeat before turning to leave. "Yeah...you should have..." He spoke, making the emo do an about face. "Lucy...you may say that you're sorry...but your apology falls short compared to what you all did to me...after I proved I wasn't bad luck, you guys apologized. But what did you make me do afterwards?..." Lincoln voice was laced with venom on that last sentence. Lucy didn't want to answer that, as both knew what happened. He wheeled the chair around to face her. "I'm pretty sure you remember that time I took the fall for you when _you clogged the toilet_ with that stupid book of yours...I did it because I felt bad for you after everyone was mocking Princess Pony and didn't want you to suffer that embarrassment...it took three, freaking, weeks before my supposed 'sisters' finally shut up about it...but at the time I always thought 'Better me than you' because that's what _big brothers do for their little sisters..._ "

Lucy averted her gaze because she couldn't afford to look at him. She didn't _want_ to look at him. Everything he said made her feel even more like a jerk and hypocrite. But Lincoln wanted to look at her dead in the eyes for what he was going to say next. He lightly grabbed the top of her head and tilted it up, giving a cold stare at her emerald green eyes through the locks of dyed hair. "At this point, had I known that you'd kick me to the curb like the rest of my so-called family...I would've just let you admit the truth, and I might have even _laughed_ at you as well...while it was nice you made that comic for me, it still doesn't make up for the fact I missed out on a good weekend _for nothing_..."

He released the now trembling 8 year old, who was on the verge of crying. Lincoln took his phone and opened up the 'recent calls' menu. Showing it to his sister, Lucy let out a gasp as she stared at the number at the top of the list. "You...you didn't..."

"No...but I was _very...close_...the only reason I didn't, was because even if I'm so pissed at you all right now...I still don't want to see mom and dad go to jail for several years...but that doesn't mean I'm so willing to forgive _any_ of you..." Lincoln put his phone away. "I'm not coming home Lucy...at least, not right now...you say you're sorry for what happened, but how can I trust you?...You guys apologized for thinking I was bad luck then made me wear a stupid suit for _good_ luck. So how am I supposed to take your word now?..."

Lucy blinked, letting a few tears roll down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to bring up a counter argument, but then closed it.

"My point exactly...as far as I'm concerned, your words mean nothing to me now...I thought I held some special connection with you, Leni, Lana, and especially Luna, but after what happened over the last few weeks, you guys just proved you'll be like the rest of my sisters...guess I am some genetic defect in the gene pool as Lisa would put it..."

The emo shook her head. "Lincoln, what Lynn said was a lie! She didn't mean to-"

"If she didn't mean to, she shouldn't have said it in the first place! And I'm not gonna forgive her for all the shit I've had to put up with her for years, especially with that 'head up her ass' attitude!"

Both heard a loud 'shh' sound. Looking over, the kids saw the librarian giving them a scowl.

In a hushed tone, "What I'm saying is, I can't trust _any_ of you now...I can't trust anything you say because, how am I supposed to know that you won't go back on your word the moment you get the chance?..." Lincoln got up from the chair. "I'm not coming back home Lucy...not until you guys can _prove_ to me not only that you regret everything that happened, but won't make the same mistakes again...I have a place to stay at, so don't bother looking for me. Pass it on to the others..." He walked to the door. The middle child stopped at the entrance to give his sister a harsh glare. "But, if you guys try to drag me back to that house...I _might_ reconsider that option about not getting the cops involved..."

With that, the white haired boy stepped out of the library, leaving an utterly shattered Lucy. She didn't even get the chance to tell him what Lynn was going through right now because of her actions. But Lincoln made his intentions clear: he wouldn't return to the Loud House until the family proved they would change their ways. Not only that, he had a massive bargaining chip to ensure that the boy would come back on his own accord. The goth lover was still shocked that Lincoln actually even considered calling the police on them. Lucy couldn't imagine what would happen if the cops found out about any of this, but she knew the results wouldn't be pretty...

Wiping away fresh tears and stifling a sob, the girl did the best she could to hide her emotions. She didn't want anyone else to see her in a state that would garner questions, but this task was difficult knowing that her only brother effectively hated her and the rest of his family. The 8 year old walked up to the door and poked her head out, hoping to catch another glimpse of Lincoln. Sadly, she did not. Hearing the bell ring, Lucy quickly made her way to the lunch room. She needed to eat, and to get this message out to the rest of her family as soon as possible.

* * *

Clyde walked around the playground looking for his best friend. Something about Lincoln just seemed...off. The boy wasn't his usual cheery self, and on top of that he didn't see him on the way to school. The nerdy child was glad to see him in class, but even then, Lincoln didn't talk much. Several sessions of therapy gave Clyde a good sense to know when someone was upset, even if it wasn't obvious. One thing that did stand out was the fact Lincoln wasn't wearing the squirrel suit. He was happy that it seemed Lincoln managed to talk his family out of their superstitions, but then, wouldn't he be smiling? The chip-toothed boy did complain quite a lot about having to wear that thing.

Clyde finally spotted his best friend sitting on one of the swings. If his depression wasn't clear earlier, it definitely was now. He wasn't alone either. To his right was Ronnie Anne, sitting on another swing. She seemed to have this shocked expression on her face.

"You told her everything?!"

"No...not all of it. Just enough so they wouldn't bother roaming the streets to look for me. She doesn't know I'm staying at your place..."

"Hey guys. Am I interrupting anything?"

"Hey Clyde..." Both said.

"...Ok, obviously I missed something..." Clyde said before taking the swing to Lincoln's left.

"You don't know the half of it buddy..." Lincoln stated.

The next few minutes were spent with Lincoln explaining everything to Clyde, sparing him no details. He told him everything, up to the point of his encounter with Lucy. There was a bit of a pause before Lincoln told him whether he decided for police intervention though. During the whole discussion, Clyde expressed several signs of fear, rage, disgust, and just general shock. By the time Lincoln was finished, the boy's mouth was stuck hanging open. He knew the Louds were chaotic, but he didn't expect to hear Lincoln tell him they actually _locked_ him out the house and sold his stuff. Out of all the past annoyances the family did, ousting their own son/brother was likely the worst.

It was at this point, Clyde began to see why Lincoln tended to confide in him about the misdeeds of his folks. While Lincoln didn't mention the past faults his sisters put him through, the African-American's heart was tearing a bit just imagining it. He thought that, despite all the hectic shenanigans, the family loved each other. Now though, they might as well be monsters. Even his sweet, sweet Lori was one of them...

"Close your mouth before I do it for you McBride." Ronalda ordered.

Clyde shook his head. "Sorry. But, dude...that's heavy...I...I don't even know what to say about that...I know you said living in a large family is difficult, but...geez...are you sure about your decision of not doing what you were about to do minutes ago? And why would you be afraid of telling us about it?"

Lincoln gave a simple nod. "...I was nervous about saying anything about me not calling the cops because...I thought you might think I'm a coward and an idiot for not getting professional help..."

In response, Ronalda gave him a semi-hard slap on his cheek, shocking the two boys. "Don't. Ever. Think like that Lame-O...what you did was pretty ballsy on your part. You could've, would've, but you weighed your options carefully. Seeing how you could've torn your family apart (even if they would deserve it), means that you have a bigger heart than most would think..." That was one quality Ronalda liked about Lincoln. Even if he was upset with someone, he still had some compassion for them. It was likely the reason why he gave her a chance.

The African-American nodded. "She's got a point there. I certainly wouldn't think less of you."

Lincoln rubbed his reddened cheek. "Thanks guys, I needed that." He gave a small smile. It turned back into a frown as he looked at his best friend. "Now, Clyde, you promise not to tell anyone about this...right?"

The nerd nodded.

"And you promise not to think about calling the police yourself...?"

"Lincoln, I'm your best friend. There's no way I'd disrespect your decisions, especially when it revolves around your family. But, I gotta know...do you ever think you'll return home?"

In all honesty, Lincoln didn't know the answer to that one. On one hand, he wished he wouldn't need to see those he thought loved him since the day he was born for an extended period of time. On the other, his heart still ached in sadness due to this, and wanted to try to make up with them. But, like he told Lucy, he already made his choice, and there was no going back on that.

"Like I said...there's no way I can trust _any_ of them right now...and-" The boy felt something light hit his head, making him pause. Looking at the ground, he saw it was an acorn. "What the-" Suddenly, a storm of said tree seeds pelted not only him, but his friends too.

"Forgot your lunch Larry!" A voice yelled out.

By now, Lincoln wasn't surprised to hear a certain someone call him that name. Turning with an irritated look, the boy saw Chandler and a couple of his friends poking fun at him. Not a day went by without that kid picking on him just for the sake of being a nuisance. Chandler had been driving Lincoln up the wall all week due to being forced to wear the softball team's mascot by his family, and even if he didn't have it anymore, the redhead still picked on him about it.

"You could use that tooth of yours to crack them open. Here's some extras by the way!" One of the boys shouted before tossing another batch at them. The trio then high-fived each other as if they accomplished something big.

Lincoln grit his teeth in anger. Little did those boys know, Lincoln wasn't as much of a pacifist as of late. He still held onto his newfound rage like a sidearm, and he could unleash it at a moment's notice if someone tempted him enough. His knuckles turned white due to gripping the swing's chains harder. Lincoln was still pissed at Chandler after the boy used him to get free stuff at Gus' Games n' Grub, then having the nerve to not invite him to his party. Sadly, it took such an event for Lincoln to see just how much of an asshole Chandler really was.

Ronalda noticed this and gently wrapped her hand around his, unintentionally making him glare at her. "Don't do it Lincoln...he's not worth it..." She glared at Chandler.

Lincoln held his irate look for a moment before giving a heavy sigh, dispelling his rage. As much as he'd like to pound that redhead into paste, it wouldn't be worth getting suspended over it. As if to enforce this, the bell rang, signaling the end of recess. The trio got up from the swing set and walked towards the entrance.

"As I was saying...can't trust any of them now, and I still have that option of actually calling the cops if they don't respect my wishes..."

* * *

The school day carried on like usual, with everyone waiting for that clock to strike two O'clock so they could stampede out of the building. But for one Loud, it was anything but. With her busted foot, Lynn Loud Jr. was constantly reminded of that grave mistake she made ever since her team lost that one game. The athlete could barely pay attention in class and had been called out for it numerous times, but she didn't care. The only thing on her mind was her still missing brother. Unlike Lucy, Lynn didn't know that Lincoln was actually in the school, but even if she somehow managed to catch a glimpse of him, what could she do?

The jock was still hating herself for saying those awful and untrue words to him, and it was clear her nightmare still haunted her deeply. Throughout the day, her close friend Polly Pain and some of her softball teammates questioned as to why she almost looked like her 8 year old sister, and each time the 13 year old just brushed them off. She just didn't have the will to speak. The only thing she ever said today though, was her announcement to the coach that she was quitting the baseball team and probably wouldn't play any sport for some time. The coach was rather surprised because he didn't think Lynn would be so upset about a small foot injury, but as the aspiring athlete put it, "I just don't have the will to play anymore..."

Once the final bell rang, the school came alive as students piled out of the school like ants disturbed on their ant hill, ready to take advantage of yet another weekend. Lynn slowly walked her way to the front of the school, a frown etched on her face. She was thankful to be alone because if someone asked her why she quit the team again, the jock was sure she'd smack them with one of her crutches. Pretty soon, the only thing she could hear in the hall was the sound of the crutch pads hitting the floor.

But, she wasn't completely alone.

"Lynn."

Jumping two feet into the air, the surprised Loud landed on her butt. Looking up, she saw it was just her emo of a sister. "Dang it Lucy! You should get a damn bell..."

"Sorry..." The dark-haired girl helped her sister up. "I have some urgent news though. Do you know where the twins are?"

"Probably outside...and what's so important?"

"It's about Lincoln..."

Lynn's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "L-Lincoln?..." She grabbed the emo by her shoulders and shook her vigorously. "You saw him?! Where is he?! Is he ok?!"

Lucy held her stoic expression, though he voice was bumpy. "Yeeesss, just stoooop shaaakiiiing meeee!..." Once the jock stopped, Lucy readjusted her hair. "I saw him in the library today when I was looking for a quiet place to write...he wasn't in the best of moods, but he's looking better..." She walked towards the doors. "Come on, our sisters and parents need to hear what I have to say...and to be honest, it's pretty dark..."

"Aren't you the Duchess of Darkness?..."

"...What I'm going to tell everyone is so dark, it's well beyond my tastes..."

Lynn stared at her sister uneasily. What did Lincoln say to her that would put someone like _Lucy_ on edge? She'd find out soon enough. The two soon found the twins, who were waiting impatiently for them. Lucy told the same thing, which led to more questions. The emo didn't say much and started to head home. The twins wanted to check around the school for any sign of Lincoln, but Lucy outright stated it's best not to try and find him, much to the dismay of her siblings. It bugged them to no end that the emo was withholding crucial information, but they were forced to be patient. On the way home, Lynn pulled out her phone and spread the word to the rest of the family. She instantly got bombarded with so many texts that would make Lori proud, to the athlete's annoyance. She just told them to meet at home.

Once the 4 got to the house, it wasn't long before the rest of the family began to pile in.

Leni shoved the door open roughly. "You guys found Linky?!"

"Where'd you see him?!" Luna asked next.

"You guys literally better have good information." Lori stated.

"Is he doing ok?" Luan asked.

Pretty soon the rest of the girls' questions became jumbled into an incoherent choir. As they continued with the questioning, Lynn noticed Vanzilla pulling into the driveway, which meant the parents were home now. Furrowing her brows, "QUIET!" Thankfully, this got everyone to shut up. "Lucy knows everything about Lincoln right now, so she has the floor once mom and dad get in the house. So stop with the questions!"

"Thanks Lynn."

"Lynn Jr, are you certain you girls saw him?" Lynn Sr. asked as he along with Rita and Lily stepped in the house.

"I did. You should sit down for this..." Lucy stated.

Once the family was seated around the living room, the emo started. "I found Lincoln in the library at school today. He looked better than he did when he left the house in a huff, and even one of his hands was bandaged. It's clear he got help from someone, but he wouldn't say who. Lincoln is still highly upset at us, to the point he almost did the unthinkable..."

"W-What did he do?" Lana asked.

"...He was very close to calling the police..."

The family let out a collective gasp. Another wave of guilt slammed into them as Lucy let them digest this information. It was an unspoken agreement that no one would dare ask the police for help looking for Lincoln due to the reasons Lola and Lisa brought up, but the fact the person they desperately sought almost put a warrant out on them not only made them fearful of their son/brother, but also for the fact a good deal of them might see possible time behind bars. The older sisters were beginning to worry about spending time in juvie, or in Lori's case, be tried as an adult. The younger ones were worried about being sent into foster care, being separated from each other and given to different families. But this paled in comparison to what the parents were thinking.

Out of everyone in the room, Rita and Lynn Sr. had the right to be the most worried. The thought of not seeing their beloved children for years and what may happen to them during that time frame shook them to their very cores. They also doubted the police would go easy on them if they told them the real reason their son was locked out, on top of the whole furniture issue. The two heard many stories about child abandonment on the news, and told themselves they'd never do such a thing to their own kids. Yet here they were, facing the prospect of potential jail time because they did the one thing they promised they wouldn't do.

"I'm too pretty to go to jail!" Leni cried.

"Guys, relax. I said he _almost_ called the cops. He didn't because, even though Lincoln doesn't like us right now, he still couldn't stand the fact of mom and dad going to prison for a couple years..." This brought some relief to the family, but not much. "He also said he can't trust any of us, and as such, he won't come home until we show him that he can learn to live with us again. He's found a place to stay, so he said not to look for him...he also said if we try to force him to come back...he might call the police like he intended to..."

The news as pretty grim. The situation was clear. Everyone had the metaphorical gun pointed to their heads now. Lincoln wanted to come home on his own accord, and nothing would change that. The family collectively drove him away due to their own ignorance, and now he was effectively holding the key that would either make them whole again, or break them into tiny pieces. That all depended on what the Louds decide to do.

Lori got up from her seat. "I'm heading up...I need to lie down a bit..." She stated solemnly before sauntering up the stairs. A few of the other sisters followed suit, leaving Lynn Jr., Lisa, Lola, and Luan. They were too shocked to say anything. However, Lisa did notice that Lincoln's school bag was missing.

The parents had separated, needing their own space to think. Lynn Sr. walked outside, wondering where he went wrong as a father. Being the only other male in the house, he was supposed to be an inspiration for his son in the sea of females they lived with. But instead, he pushed him away like everyone else in the family. He could feel his own father looking down on him in disappointment right now. How could he call himself a parent after everything that happened? Hell, he even showed more care about the suit than his son's own well-being after being attacked by a large reptile. Banging his head against one of the supports on the porch, Lynn Sr. silently cried to himself. This didn't go unnoticed their neighbor, Mr. Grouse.

With Rita, she had a box of tissues on hand as she sobbed into herself. Not only was her baby boy angry with them, but now he just threated to put his own mother behind bars. She wondered what her father would think of her right now. No doubt he'd be disappointed beyond belief, because he didn't raise his daughter to abandon children. Rita began to question if she was even qualified to raise a boy. One male out of ten females is a very rare occurrence. Maybe she got used to raising so many daughters, that she tried raising Lincoln the same way, which would lead to problems later on. The matriarch just didn't know what to do with herself right now. She was stuck bringing up questions she didn't have the answer to, and she just couldn't bear watching her family crumble apart, especially when she felt largely responsible. She needed help...

Looking at the house phone, she stared at it for a moment, thinking of what to do. After some hesitation, she grabbed the device and dialed a number.

"Sunset Canyon Retirement Home." A happy voice stated.

"Yes, is Albert Reeds available?..."

The happy voice then turned into an annoyed groan. "Give me a sec..." Ten seconds later, Rita heard the familiar voice of her father. "Hello?"

"Hey dad..."

"Hey darling! How ya been?!" Albert asked in excitement. Instead, he heard sobbing on the line. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Dad...I messed up...I messed up big time..."

 **A/N: Hope you guys enjoy this. Originally, I was going to have Lynn be the first to meet Lincoln, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it would likely end in another fist fight that would leave Lincoln suspended, and Lynn needing more than just an Achilles brace. Lucy seemed more interesting because she's relatively close to her brother, yet after everything he's done for her, she, like the rest of the supposed 'nice' sisters, threw him under the bus.**

 **Also, here's a little spoiler. I am initiating Operation: Flesh Pound. I'm going to have Lincoln kick Chandler's ass at some point. Chandler's character was only introduced to be a total jerk, and you can tell just by looking at his face. After seeing The Waiting Game, this just proved what that redhead's only existence is. I can guarantee you that it'll be very funny to read when I get around to it.**


	8. Contingency Plans

**A/N: Welcome to chapter 8 people. Last time, you saw that Lincoln wishes to keep his distance from his family, and that if the rest of the Louds ever cross him, things...won't turn out well...And more importantly, Rita was seen calling up her father. Now, I haven't used Albert in my other story since both Rita and Lynn Sr. have gotten things under control, plus they're getting professional help as we speak. As such, I don't think Albert would add much to the plot. In this one however, going to a therapist may cause more harm than needed, and at times, even 40 year olds need advice from their own parents when things go sour.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

"...Could you repeat that Rita? I think I heard something crazy in my ear..." Albert said, not believing his daughter's words.

 _"WE LOCKED OUR OWN SON OUT OF THE HOUSE DAD!...WE PUT HIM OUTSIDE ALL BECAUSE OF SOME WORTHLESS SUPERSTITIONS!..."_ Rita cried on the line. The grandfather had to pull the phone away from his ear due to the loud volume, which also made it vibrate in his hand.

Albert had a shocked and disheartened look on his face. "That's what I thought you said...oh boy..." He muttered the last part, taking a seat in the chair of his room. "Rita...how'd it get to that point?"

Sniffling was heard. _"It started when Lynn Jr. lost a softball game. She claimed Lincoln was bad luck, and then Lincoln himself declared he was...pretty soon we thought it would be best if he didn't join us on family outings for everyone's safety...then...then it got to a point where the girls were concerned about the well-being of the house, so they asked to board up his room...and soon Lincoln was sleeping outside..."_

"Did you or Lynn do _anything_ to put an end to it?..."

 _"At first we didn't believe it...but the evidence presented was enough to convince us otherwise._ _..the next morning Lincoln said he had been faking having bad luck and apologized for lying to us, but instead...we took Jr's word over his and didn't believe him...Lincoln then had to prove he wasn't bad luck by wearing one of the school's mascots. We finally believed him then...but soon after we started treating him as if he was good luck, and-"_

"Rita, pause for a sec there...how long ago did this happen?"

 _"Just a week ago..."_

"Ok. Now tell me this...why in the _WORLD_ would you even think my grandson was bad luck?..." The elderly man said, his voice ripe with irritation.

 _"I...I just don't know dad...I_ JUST _don't know...what I do know is that I put my own paranoia above one of my children, and I broke a promise I stated to them a long time ago..."_

"...What else happened?"

 _"We kept treating him like he was a good luck charm instead of the boy he was...it got to the point that Lincoln ended up extremely upset with us on Thursday...he swore up and down and got into a fight with Jr. before...before he ran off..." Rita paused to clear her sinuses. "We looked all over town that night, but couldn't find him...I couldn't sleep at all without knowing where my son was...but at least we now know he's fine physically..."_

"How so?"

 _"Lucy found him at school...but he's not coming back...my own son actually considered calling the cops dad. That's how bad we messed up...and he won't come back til we prove that he can trust us again...I said to all of them I wouldn't kick out_ any _of my children, but all I did was just alienate my son..._ _God I'm the worst mother on the face of the earth..."_

Albert was about to point out that he'd heard of worse mothers but decided to let her sulk. The elder man looked out the window in thought, soaking up the information his daughter just told him. In all his years as a parent and grandfather, he never expected _Rita_ of all people to commit an act of child neglect. Sure, raising 11 kids was by no means an easy task, but the matriarch did the best she could to take care of all of them. Now, Albert did have a lovely wife, but sadly she died due to a sudden heart attack when Rita was still in middle school. As such, the man raised her himself and taught her right from wrong, teaching her the ins and outs of the world so she'd be ready for it when she finally left the nest. When Rita first started dating Lynn Loud Sr., he was weary of him like all fathers naturally are, but soon grew to liking him. Albert honestly couldn't fathom how someone as kindhearted as Lynn could do something so harsh, especially since he's the only other man in the house besides Lincoln.

"Oh, Mary...wish you were here right now..." The man muttered. He drew his attention to the whimpering on the phone.

"Rita...words can't express how upset I am right now...I'm angry at the fact you practically disowned your boy over some false hoo-hah, but I'm mostly disappointed. I raised better than that. You're not stupid because you have my genes. You're smart enough to know what not to do and should've known that luck is some..." He paused, trying to find the right words. "...imaginative hogwash kids made up. Back in my day, we had to rely on our guts and intuition to make it through the day, boy was 'Nam hell in the 70s...but you're not the worst mother out there. I've read plenty of times where parents have beaten and abused their kids in ways I won't even talk about, and at least you're regretting what you did...I'm not sure what your mother would say if she were here now, but she'd likely tell you the same thing."

That made Rita think of her deceased mother. She missed her ever since grade school, and right now the matriarch could only think of the disproving look she was probably giving her right now.

 _"...Lincoln said he has a place to stay at, and to not bother finding him...but it really hurts knowing I helped put him in this situation in the first place...I want him to be found dad...I just want my boy to come home..."_

Albert tapped his chin in thought. It had been a while since he last spoke with his grandkids, and clearly his daughter needed some guidance. Not only that, but it also help to get Lynn Sr's opinion on this matter (and possibly chew him out for treating his own son like that). As an added bonus, he could get away from Sue and her strict rules for a while.

"Tell ya what. I'm gonna come by later today and see what I can do...sound good?"

 _"...Yeah...that would help a lot..."_

"Alright. See you soon dear. Love you."

 _"I love you too dad..."_

* * *

While Rita was busy with her phone call, Lynn Sr. was still banging his head against the one of the porch's supports. He had a small headache now, but he believed he deserved it after what transpired recently.

"If yer lookin' to break your head, the concrete might be a better option." A voice spoke.

Lynn looked to his left to see his next-door neighbor Mr. Grouse. The elderly man was putting a bag of trash into the curbside cans.

The patriarch sighed. "Not now Henry...I'm busy moping..."

"It's about yer boy right?"

Lynn Sr. turned around fully. "H-How do you know?"

"Yer front door was open last night. Could hear that boy screamin' and hollerin' like he was at one of them annoyin' music concerts. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole neighborhood heard him."

This immediately set up alarms for the father of 11. "I sure hope they didn't..."

"Well, if it's any consideration, if they did, you'd be a wanted man right now." Henry pointed out.

"That doesn't help..."

"Wasn't supposed to. But on to the real deal, what did you do to make the boy pissed this time? He sounded more upset than the time he told y'all his confession." The elder man questioned harshly.

"Well..." Lynn scratched the back of his head nervously. "You know what Lincoln said when we thought he was bad luck?...Well, after we didn't believe him, he had to prove himself by wearing a squirrel costume..." The father sighed. "And it got worse because we treated him more like a good luck charm than an actual son...that, and it seems Lincoln had been bottling up his anger for a long time, until last night..."

Henry shook his head. "Lynn, I'll be honest with ya...your family may be annoying at times, but I always thought you guys loved each other. Like I told you around Christmas, it's not easy bein' away from family for so long. I've even had arguments with my own boy, yet I still loved him and he loved me. He's in his 30s now, got a lovely wife with a beautiful baby girl. Now, we didn't have our disagreements. My son used to be a lazy bum who was freeloadin' all over the place. Wouldn't get a job, wouldn't pay rent, wouldn't even take care of the house while I was out workin' my butt off to provide for him. So, I kicked him out. Now, the main difference between what I did, and what you did, was that my son was old enough to take care of himself. Lincoln is like, what? 12? I thought when he told the truth, y'all were just playing a trick in him. But I didn't think it was for real...throughout the day I was wonderin' if I should call the cops, but it seems you got your hands tied enough already..." Mr. Grouse finished with his arms folded.

"Ugh..." Lynn Sr. sat down on the steps. "I can't believe this is the second time I put some material possession over my family...what's wrong with me?!..." He cried, placing his hands on the sides of his head in fear.

Henry looked around for a moment. "Even though this ain't my business, you really gotta get some sense in that head of yours. Even an old man like me knows that luck is just a bunch of tomfoolery. Luck didn't help me when I lost a car to a sinkhole, that was because of a darn water main break. Or the time I had to get a hip replacement due to gettin' sideswiped by a car door. Things happen. But get those selfish instincts outta yer head son. That van of yers was one thing, but your own son? And the rest of yer family went along with it? Makes me disgusted to be livin' next to you..."

Mr. Grouse turned to go back to his house. "I won't call the cops on ya, but if I see another of yer kids gettin' thrown out, I will..." With that, the elder man slammed the front door shut, leaving a distraught Lynn Sr. alone with his thoughts.

* * *

As for the rest of the family, the overall tone hadn't changed since last night. The sisters had been spending their time moping the day away or trying to figure out a way to regain the trust of their male sibling. Lori was busy texting Bobby the news, whilst the Hispanic boy himself wasn't too surprised considering that Lincoln was literally in the kitchen doing his homework with Ronalda. Lori wasn't sure how to go about getting Lincoln to forgive her, so she was also asking her boyfriend for advice. However, Bobby went silent after that, not sure how to go about it either.

Leni was busy drawing finishing up her furniture blueprints. Although Lincoln wasn't coming home any time soon, she believed it'd be nice for him to have a bed to sleep in again once he returned. She made a mental note to shorten the length of the bed after taking some measurements in the boy's room. You'd probably expect Lana to be handling this task, but while Leni may not be the smartest Loud, and as stated when picking a lock with her hairclip, "There's more in my head than just air you know." She didn't like what she saw when opening up the closet. It was bare of anything besides bins full of Lincoln's clothes. The blonde didn't have a clue as to what possessed her family to remove any of his property in the first place, but Leni hated the fact she didn't pick up the gravity of the situation until it was too late. Seeing the room so bare almost drew her to tears, but instead this reinforced her resolve.

Leni had her tongue sticking out as she continued doodling. "Don't worry Linky. You'll have the best bed ever when I finish. I wonder if can find him a better set of wardrobe too..." She tapped her chin with the pencil.

Luna and Luan were busy in their room working to put something together. Luna was trying to think up lyrics to a song she was working on, but overtime grew frustrated when the words weren't coming to her. Luan had been working on possible jokes and puns she could use, but in the end, she decided to forego that option as the whole situation wasn't a laughing matter. Instead, she opted to help her sister with her task. Turns out, Luan had a decent amount of ideas Luna could use. It certainly helped that being a comedian, she had a heavy amount of knowledge on pop culture.

In the room next to theirs, Lynn was curled up in a ball on her bed. She wasn't asleep by any means, fearing she'd suffer another nightmare like she had that morning. Her mellow and depressed state was a reminiscent of her younger sister Lucy, to the point Fangs had mistaken her for the dark-haired girl. The bat in question was sitting on Lynn's shoulder. In any other circumstance, Lynn would be disgusted and shoo the nocturnal creature away, especially since Fangs was prone to biting her. This time however, she barely paid any attention to him. Lucy herself was sitting on her bed, writing in her poetry book. She would glance at her roommate every few minutes, wondering if she'd move from her current position. Earlier, the athlete of the family had been pacing around the room in self-hate, throwing some of her sporting goods around in frustration. Lynn even threw her favorite bat and catcher's mitten out the window, having grown to hating baseball as it reminded her of the selfish act she put up that lead to what her family was going through right now. After her little outburst, she simply crawled into bed and lied there since.

Behind those dark bangs of hers, Lucy held a sorrow look for her sister. Normally _she's_ the brooding type in comparison to her overly hyper sister. It's no surprise that they got into several arguments with their clashing personalities, to the point Lynn had enough and moved into Lincoln's room. The emo gave a heavy sigh. It was her brother that helped diffuse the argument they had when the other sisters didn't want to get involved. He even let them sleep in his room after the trio dirtied up the girls' room in a food fight. Lucy still felt a pain worse than what she'd normally feel in her dark heart after Lincoln spoke with her earlier...

Hearing a shuffling sound, Lucy turned from her book and saw Lynn moving. She stared silently as the athlete twisted on the bed, popping sounds resounding in the room as she loosened the joints in her back. Fang had moved from her shoulder to his usual spot on the ceiling. The jock was now facing her sister, hugging her pillow as she stared abscent-mindedly at the floor. Sometimes, Lucy actually wished Lynn would become depressed like her just so she'd be quiet for once. However, wishing and actually seeing something is two different things. And right now, Lucy wished to see that spark Lynn used to have. It was rather disturbing to see someone like Lynn remind the poet of herself. Unlike everyone else's current mood, the two roomies shared one thing in common: they weren't sure if Lincoln would ever come back. And why would he? It's not like they'd be on easy street after outright alienating him and expressing how unwanted he was, even though they never actually said it.

With the twins, it was a different story. While Lana was at a loss on what to do, Lola decided to take charge and state that, despite everything that's been told to them, the two should bring Lincoln home to see the state the family is in. Her hope was that seeing them sad might change his opinion. Which of course, brings us to this exchange.

"Lola, as much as I want Lincoln back, that has to be the dumbest idea you've ever had. And you've had a lot of smart ideas..." Lana said in a matter-of-factuality tone.

"Well I don't see you coming up with anything mud-for-brains. And after the way I treated him, I feel like a complete jerk..." Lola admitted.

"You kinda are..."

This irked the princess. " _Excuse me_! I'm trying to have a melo...melo...whatever moment here!"

"Just saying, it's true! You don't have to act like such a brat all the time!"

"And I suppose you're the one to talk after caring more about the suit after you saved him from getting eaten by that gross alligator?! Makes me wonder if what you were _really_ trying to save!"

"Says the girl who helped stitch is back up! AND YOU GOT MAD AT LINCOLN OVER A FLIPPING 'B'!" Lana retorted

"I WAS JUST HELPING LENI FIX IT! YOU WERE BEING AS SELFISH AS THE REST OF US, AND I BET YOU WOULDN'T HAVE CARED IF THAT STUPID GATOR ACTUALLY _KILLED_ OUR BROTHER!" Lola fired back.

Lana's pupils shrank as her face expressed that of shock. Clearly, Lola struck a personal nerve, and she knew it. Since Lincoln left, Lana had been deeply regretting not caring about Lincoln's health, something she confided in her twin. The tomboy still hated the fact she referred to him as a 'good luck charm', but to say Lana wouldn't have cared if Lincoln was murdered brought up a nightmare she had recently, something the expert plumber also told Lola about. The princess herself realized what she said and immediately regretted her words.

"Lana, I'm sorry! I didn't mean what I-" She stopped when Lana's face contorted into that of anger, the tomboy having regained her composure.

The little handywoman of the family gritted her teeth as she stared at her twin in unrelenting rage, making the princess step back slightly. She clenched her fists as her face turned a light shade of red. "WHY...YOU...LITTLE!" The tomboy shouted before lunging forward, wrapping her hands around Lola's neck and pinning her to the floor in the process. Lola cried out in gasped shock as she felt her windpipe forcibly closed shut, Lana shaking her violently as she as was being strangled. Lola pried at Lana's fingers to loosen her grip, but was unable to. Normally, the princess would be able to break this hold since both twins have similar strength. But Lana held her a tighter grip than she intended, and the tomboy looked like she didn't want to let up so soon. Gasping around while still losing oxygen, Lola was trying to find something nearby to smack her sister with. Tragically, nothing was within arm's reach. Tears streamed from the younger twin's eyes as she felt herself beginning to slip into unconsciousness. In desperation, Lola grabbed her tiara off her head and scratched at Lana's arms with the edges. This worked as the tomboy yelped in pain and withdrew her arms instinctively. Looking at her cuts, they weren't too deep, but they left red marks on her limbs. Lola coughed as she massaged her neck, taking deep breaths to get air back in her lungs.

Lana looked back at Lola who was still getting back her usual air intake before looking at her hands. They had reddened a bit from how hard she was squeezing. Whatever anger the handywoman had was quickly dispelled as it dawned to her what she just did. Tears crept into Lana's eyes as she slumped to the floor.

"I'm sorry Lola...I'm _so_ sorry...I almost..." She sniffled. "I almost..." She couldn't finish that sentence before she started sobbing.

Despite getting choked by her sister, Lola understood her pain. She crawled over to Lana and hugged her tight. "I s-still see him...getting attacked by that a-alligator...only I w-wasn't there to h-help him..." The tomboy cried into her hands. While it was just a bad dream, Lana was deeply disturbed as she watched the gator tear her brother to pieces. She could still hear his cries for help and his screams of terror as Lincoln had one of his legs taken off before slowly bleeding to death. After that, like any large predator, the alligator feasted on its kill.

"No, Lana, _I'm_ the one who should be apologizing...I know you're still sensitive to that nightmare you had, and I should've used my head before saying anything..."

"I...I want to see him again...I just want to see that he's alright..." The tomboy whimpered.

"We will Lana...we will...and I have an idea on how."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the last large room of the house, Lisa was busy looking over several monitors in a secret section of the room. Lily was sitting on the ground next to her, sucking on her pacifier as she watched her older sister work. The child prodigy knew that Lincoln had left his backpack by the front door after he stormed off last night. No one ever touched it since, and she could've swore it was still in its usual spot before she and the rest of the family left the house that morning. As such, she had two conclusions: either one of the sisters moved it, or worse, someone broke into the house. To find the answer, she was looking over the footage from last night to present time. Luan wasn't the only person to have hidden cameras in the house.

The first footage she looked at was the fight from last night. It was brutal enough watching Lincoln and Lynn go at it up close, and seeing it from the camera's point of view didn't make it any less cringe worthy. Shortly after, Lincoln ran out the door, followed by Luna trying to go after him, but of course, losing him. A minute later, everyone went out the front door, leaving the house empty. During this time, Lisa scanned each monitor carefully. By the midnight timeframe, Lisa had seen nothing out of the ordinary besides the pets playing cards. Around 1 AM, her mother along with herself and her other sisters arrived back home and went to sleep, followed by her father's group shortly after. Lori, Leni, and Luna arrived 20 minutes after, and the boy's bag was still in its spot.

The genius' hit fast-forward to speed it up a little. At her current rate she'd take an hour to finish. Skimming through footage, it was eventually morning and just as she suspected, Lincoln's bag was still there after everyone left. She slowed down to watch the monitors carefully again. And that's when something caught her eye. The camera in the kitchen showed the doggy door open inward as someone looked inside. The person then fully stepped in to reveal it was none other than Lincoln himself. Lisa shouldn't be too surprised at this, but what happened next left both her and Lily in shock. Lincoln opened the door and both saw it was Ronalda Santiago.

"Well, now we know where Lincoln went last night..." Lisa said to no one in particular.

"Poo-poo." Lily agreed.

They continued to watch the feed as Lincoln stood in the living room for a few moments before Ronnie Anne snapped him out of some sort of trance. He then grabbed his backbag before walking upstairs and packing some of his stuff into a larger camper bag. Minutes later, both left the house the same way they came in.

"Hmm...interesting..." Lisa said, wondering what to do with this new information.

 **A/N: While Lincoln was successful in sneaking into the house, he forgot about the hidden cameras placed everywhere. Anyway, Albert is coming over to get a better grasp of the situation, but what are the twins up to? And what does Lisa plan to do with this new revelation?**

 **Was listening to Human by Rag'n'Bone Man. I think it really helps set the overall tone of the story.**


	9. Finding Target Ace

**A/N: Here comes the 9th chapter to this one. Everyone is wondering how things will turn out, from Pop-Pop coming over to the twins plan to get Lincoln back, to Lisa's choice on the whole matter. All of which, will be covered in this next segment of this NSL-based story.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

As the sun's rays dwindled in the sky, this signaled the approaching time for the 3rd important meal of the day: dinner. Since Lincoln was absent, this would become a pretty awkward affair as the one vacant seat at the table was quite obvious. However, this was somewhat nullified as Albert arrived at the house just two hours ago. Aside from Rita, the rest of the family was quite shocked at the sudden appearance of their elder relative, but one quick explanation from the matriarch had everyone understand why. It was a lot better to bring in a new face that could understand and hopefully give some light to the situation. Most importantly, Albert was someone the family could trust and not openly fly off the handle and attempt to bring in unwanted aid (AKA, law enforcement).

Even so, dinner was a rather awkward and silent event. Albert sat in the chair Lincoln would usually occupy, half the sisters weren't exactly hungry as they were too caught up in their thoughts on how to bring Lincoln back, or in Lucy and Lynn's case, the former passing a glance at the latter every few minutes as the athlete was still being a Ms. Doom and Gloom expy of the Queen herself. With Lisa and Lily, they ate silently as if nothing was amiss. It was hard to keep a straight face though, seeing as the rest of the family being solemn or depressed out of their minds. It was especially grating, considering the new information they had on their now estranged sibling. And yet, the youngest two of the family kept their mouths shut. Despite being an infant, Lily understood the gravity of what Lisa told her earlier:

 _"I know what you're thinking my youngest sibling: "we should go tell everyone else what we saw in this video feed and try to get Linky back". But, it's not that simple...Given the circumstances, if the rest of our immediate family were to discover Lincoln's whereabouts, they might 'jump the gun' so to speak and try to relinquish him from his current setting. Such results would be...unspeakable...as this may cause Lincoln to inform local law enforcement of his plight and the potential abandonment he faced a week ago. While I take no joy in watching our family suffer the consequences, no matter how justified they may be, such actions would result in permanent damage to our family. Not only that..." Lisa paused, a look of regret and dejection showing, "...I owe Lincoln for my lack of aid in helping him diffuse this false claim of superstitions...the least I could do now is keep his whereabouts a secret, for his sake..."_

A frown took hold on the infant's face as she continued sucking on her bottle. Initially, Lily had a difference of opinion on the matter, about to cry out to get the attention of everyone else in the house. But as usual, Lisa brought up valid points, making the voice of the baby die out temporarily. Even though he was 10 years older than her, Lily looked up to her brother more than one would think. She liked his smile, the way he cared for her when the two were alone, their odd taste of foods, and more importantly, Lily saw Lincoln as probably the best playmate she has in their family. Her and Lisa were too different for it to work, being that Lily knows next to nothing and Lisa being the smartest in the house. The baby soon took her bottle out of her mouth and simply placed it on the table, giving a little sigh. It seems she just didn't feel as hungry as she thought she would.

As dinner ended, the family went back their planning, moping, etc. Both Lynn Sr. and Rita sat in the living room, looking over one of the family's photo albums. Naturally, they were mainly looking at pictures of their son. It started from when Lincoln was first brought into the world, Rita having a tired smile on her face she held her newborn at the time with Lynn feeling like the luckiest man alive at the fact he now had a little boy to raise. Turning a few pages showed Rita feeding Lincoln is baby food, even breast feeding at one point, to another picture with Lincoln taking his first steps. Soon, they skipped forward a few years and had Lincoln being taught how to ride a bike by none other than his own father.

There were even some cute moments of Lincoln with the other kids in there as well. One such photo included Lori spoon-feeding Lincoln ice cream, Luan, Lincoln, and a baby Lucy on a mechanical pony ride, Lincoln and Lynn Jr. sharing a bath, the two aforementioned kids playing ball, Lincoln playing with his twin sisters (who were infants at the time), as well as several group photos of several of the Loud children in the same shot. So many good memories, now overshadowed by the negative feelings of recent times. Both parents started to shed tears after going through a few more pages, still unable to believe that they actually tried to cut one of their own kids out of their lives. It was no question that having so many kids would be a huge challenge, but despite the trouble they caused, the parents loved them all the same. Or so they thought...

The two adults heard the steps creaking, and turned to see Albert coming down with a solemn look. "How's Jr. doing?" Rita asked.

"Well...couldn't tell her between the spooky one and herself, so that was a challenge. When you get this old, your eyes don't function as they used to. Knew I should've brought my contacts..." Albert propped himself on the back of the couch. "So whatcha lookin' at?"

"Just some old family photos..." Lynn Sr. replied.

"Hmm..." The elder man took a moment to skim. "Seems like y'all had lots of fun times back then." He chuckled.

"Yeah..."

"So what changed?"

Neither the matriarch or patriarch could respond to that, still trying to figure that out for themselves.

"Oh, and I peeked into Lincoln's room, the one at the end of the hall right? Did he always have his stuff packed in bins? I could've swore he had a bed in there, or somethin'..." Albert scratched his head in confusion.

Rita and Lynn looked at each other in guilt. "Actually dad...we...we tried to sell his furniture, but then it was broken beyond repair..."

"So we threw it out..." Lynn finished.

Albert gave a sickened expression. "Now what compelled you to do that?! I know it was bad enough ya made him sleep outside, but did you have to sell his stuff too?! It's like y'all had been waitin' to kick him out or something! I mean, he's not even 18 yet!"

At this point, Lynn was growing irritated. He already had a chewing out from Henry earlier and felt even more like shit because of it. He knew he messed up big time, all of them did, and it didn't help to be constantly reminded of it when the one person they wanted to come home was out there, hiding from his family in anger. Now infuriated, Lynn stood up and faced the old man. "How _DARE_ you say that! We haven't been planning to kick our son out if that's what your implying, and the only reason we sold his stuff was because we thought it was tainted with bad luck, which at this point we know wasn't true! Yes, we messed up, BIG TIME! How do you think we feel about this Albert?! Our only son is still out there because we neglected his feelings and safety for our own desires, and we still feel like fools for believing the other kids' claim on his bad luck! Lincoln even told us the truth, AND WE STILL DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM!"

More tears were streaming down the father's face. "I even asked him to step away from the house...what kind of father does that?...we tried pushing him out of our lives without even realizing it, and now look what happened?...I was even more concerned about his false good luck than how traumatized he was about being attacked by a vicious reptile..." Lynn sat back down on the couch as he started to sob.

Rita comforted the man as he continued to bawl on the furniture. Albert had to admit a few things:

1\. He didn't expect Lynn to lash out like that.

2\. His choice of words were rather, cruel to be honest, but it was the truth.

3\. Even though the old man should be more upset at Lynn since he's the father and definitely should know better, seeing him become a pathetic sack of sadness told Albert how much the patriarch regretted everything he did...

"Lynn, Rita...sorry about saying that...I know what I said is harsh, but it was just what I had on my mind. While I'm disappointed that you guys let something like this happen, at least you're feeling guilty about it..." Albert placed a hand on Lynn's shoulder. "Now, Lynn...when I first met you, I was rather critical because I hadn't known about you aside from the love letters my daughter kept sendin'. When I finally did put a face to the name, you seemed like a nice guy. Pretty soon, I was proud to call you Son-in-Law. I still do see you as my son...which is why I'm also very disappointed in you. I know you can be...an idiot for lack of better words, but I thought you'd think twice before labeling your son as bad luck. You can do a _hell_ of a lot better than this, especially since you were so happy to finally get a boy in a sea of girls." The old man remembered the look on the father's face when he told him he finally had a grandson now. "No offense Rita, but with you two in the baby making business, I thought you'd be stuck with all girls." He laughed.

"Daddy!" Rita yelled, cheeks reddening.

"I mean, honestly. You two kept going to town so much, you had 5 kids in only 5 years. At least when you had Lincoln you finally learned to space it out. Not even myself and Mary had it in us to keep goin'!" The old man laughed harder.

Both parents blushed profusely. While Albert was having fun with this, the younger adults didn't like talking about their sex life, especially when the kids were in the house. God knows how many questions might pop up from them, the younger ones namely.

"Ok ok, we get the point..." Lynn deadpanned.

"But anyway. I hope you two learn a lesson from this. No matter what happens, everyone is family, and no silly talk of ghosts, harpies, or whatever will change that. Understand?"

Rita and Lynn nodded. "But, we still don't know where Lincoln is...he said he had a place to stay and he didn't want to be found...he might tell us where he's at when he's ready, but I don't feel it will be any time soon..." The father explained.

"Well...I could go out for a bit to look for him. Not tonight though, it's a little late for that."

Looking outside, it was indeed night time. Not only that, the pitter-patter of rain could be heard on both the roof and the street. The parents sighed before putting the album back on a shelf and retiring to their room. Perhaps some better circumstances would be in store for them tomorrow.

* * *

Whenever a storm passes, it usually results in a beautiful, clear blue sky with not a cloud in site. And this Saturday was certainly no exception. The birds chirped happily as the residents of Royal Woods were getting ready to take advantage of yet another weekend. However, in the case of those living on Franklin Avenue, they took advantage of the quiet morning to enjoy themselves. It came as a shock to a few that they weren't aroused by the constant noises that emitted from a particular house every single weekend, but the neighbors decided not to question it.

While the Loud House was indeed awake, none of the sisters were engaged in their usual activities. Sure, Luna and Luan were still cooking up a song with a few jokes on the side and Lisa was hoping to make up something in her lab as a present for Lincoln, but outside of that? Not much else went on. The family ate breakfast, had a few chats, then went their separate ways. Leni was beginning to construct a new bed, Lucy was alone in her room writing in her poetry book whilst also conversing with her bust of Edwin and Fangs, but as for the sports-obsessed Loud?...

Given her foot injury, there wasn't much Lynn could do until it healed. Whenever she was bored, she'd normally sit in her room throwing a tennis ball at the wall, but she just wasn't in the mood for it. Currently, she was lying on the wet grass in the backyard, staring up at the sky with a dull expression. While she didn't have another nightmare like the one that occurred the previous night, she still felt like the worst Loud in the whole family. Giving an audible sigh, Lynn continued her staring contest with the wild blue yonder. At least, until a fly ended up going into her nose.

Giving a small yelp, Lynn sat up and gave a loud sneeze to get rid of the foreign object before rubbing her nostrils. "Stupid flies..." The athlete grumbled. She then heard a pair of feet shuffling behind her, but didn't look to see who it was.

"Still mopin' around eh?"

"Hey Pop-Pop..."

"I thought Lucy was the gloomy one, yet yer beatin' her out by a mile." Albert knelt down to her level. "So what's the problem champ?"

"Everything...it's my fault the family is like this...I made Lincoln come to my stupid game and blamed him for our loss just because I couldn't take any responsibility for my actions...I put all my faith in luck and look where it got us?...I lost my brother...my family is torn over it...and I'm nothing but a stupid, inconsiderate...bitch..." Lynn tugged her legs into her chest.

Albert frowned at Lynn's choice of words, but he could see her point. "Well sweetie, I wouldn't say you're...that...you just needed time to realize your mistakes, and-"

"Yes. I. AM!" Lynn shouted in defiance as she faced her grandfather. " _I'm_ the one who initially blamed Lincoln as bad luck! _I'm_ the one who helped spread the rumor about his luck! _I'M_ THE ONE WHO TURNED THE WHOLE FAMILY AGAINST HIM WHEN HE ACTUALLY TOLD THE TRUTH! I COULDN'T EVEN HANDLE THE HARSH WORDS HE SAID WHEN HE TOLD ME I WAS A SORE LOSER!" Tears were streaming from her face now. She held her foot up. "See this Pop-Pop?! Lincoln bit me here and I _fully_ deserved it! Last time I spoke to him, I told him I wished he was never born!..." The athlete's voice was now broken up as she began to cry harder. "I-I never meant to s-say that...if anything, I-I'm the one who shouldn't have been born..." She sniffled. "All of the times I treated him like a w-wuss...a-all the times I took advantage of him because h-he's not as athletic like me...I'm officially the _worst_ sister in this family...Lincoln's gone because of me! A-And he's never coming back!..." Lynn finished, continuing to cry on the ground.

Albert watched his distressed granddaughter. Fixing the family's problems were going to be more troubling than he originally thought. So far, he at least got Rita and Lynn Sr. to calm themselves and promised to find Lincoln today. But for Lynn Jr.?...How do you calm a hyperactive 13 year old who places all the blame squarely on their shoulders? Especially when such event had effectively nearly shattered the family apart? There was only one thing he could do right now.

Albert hugged the sobbing athelete. "There there sweetie...just let it all out..." Since this whole incident started, Lynn had been keeping it in for so long as she wasn't one to cry in front of her family. She tried to be strong, only showing signs of depression, but it wasn't enough to stem the immense guilt she felt. The sweet satisfaction of getting all of that negative energy released was helping more than she originally thought. Lynn gripped the arms of her grandfather as she continued to pour her heart out, letting the pain slip through the tear ducts and constant sniffles.

"You know...I was gonna go out to try and find Lincoln today. Now, I don't have a clue as to where my look-alike would be hidin', but with that hair of his, it shouldn't be hard to find him. Want to come with?"

Lynn shook her head, her eyes red from crying. "No...I...I can't...I just can't see him so soon after what I did...he'll probably give me more than just a broken heel..."

"Ah I don't think he'll be that bad, but it's your choice dear. You sure you don't want to go?"

Lynn nodded, not saying anything. Albert pecked her on the forehead before heading back inside. The jock stared at the sky in sadness. While she got a good amount of guilt out of her system, Lynn wouldn't be happy until Lincoln actually returned home, even if she thought otherwise.

* * *

While Albert was outside with Lynn Jr., the twins were putting their own plan into action. Lola was making sure her princess car had enough fuel to be going around town for a few hours while Lana double-checked the supplies they were bringing. The tomboy twin didn't have much confidence in their plan to bring Lincoln home, but Lola assured her that she went over every possible contingency, because like it or not, Lincoln needed to see how broken his family was getting. Lana met with her twin in the garage, who was starting up the engine.

"Lola...I'm still not sure this idea will work..."

"You've said that 5 times already...I know you're nervous about seeing Lincoln again, and trust me, I am too...that just wasn't the same boy I saw when he hoisted me up like that...but we gotta do something! Everyone else is already trying to find ways to make it up to him, like Leni building his furniture."

"Yeah...about that...I was thinking maybe I could help her and-"

"No, Lana. She's doing that on her own. We need to do something on our own. And before you argue that Luna and Luan are doing the same thing, that's because they couldn't come up with anything individually." Lana opened are mouth to argue, but immediately closed it. Debating with her twin would just lead to another fight, which wouldn't get them anywhere.

The handywoman gave a sigh. "I guess..."

"Now hop in. We're going big brother hunting!"

Lana stepped into the passenger seat and buckled herself up. "But if this doesn't work, I'm moving into the tool shed..." She stated with earnest.

"Noted. Let's go."

The two sped out of the garage and onto the street. If anyone asked what they were up to, the story was that the girls just needed some fresh air. There was some truth to this though: spending all day in a depressing house wouldn't do them any good, and as Lola would point out, the sun was good for her beautiful skin. But today though, Lola ditched her usual pageant gown and tiara in favor of regular clothing. If things were to get ugly, at least her _good_ clothes would be spared. The twins sped around town to places Lincoln would normally frequent on the weekends. However, their results were pretty negligent.

Over the past couple of hours, the twins had searched all over for their estranged brother. He wasn't at the arcade, he wasn't at Burpin' Burger, he wasn't at the mall to check out new comics or video game titles, he wasn't at the pizza shop, and the last place they checked was the skate park. That last one was just an odd one out, considering that the twins knew Lincoln didn't have a skateboard. He did have a bike though. Unfortunately, the only person they recognized there was Ronalda. Neither Lola nor Lana had the guts to approach her due to the fact the Hispanic girl had been casting a mean look at them yesterday. They didn't know the reason, but opted not to think about it.

"For someone with white hair, Lincoln sure is hard to find..." Lola stated as they drove through another neighborhood.

"And we've been out here for how long now?" Lana asked, popping some chewing gum.

Lola looked at the clock in the car. "4 hours..."

"Lola, not to rain on your idea, but if we've been out here for that long, what makes you think we'll find him now?"

"Hey, I'm trying to be the optimistic one here while you're busy brooding..."

"We've checked the comic store. He wasn't there. He wasn't at the burger place, not at Flip's, and he sure wasn't at the arcade. The only good part of that visit was the tons of chewed gum I found..." Lana said, popping another piece in her mouth.

"Like EW! Can you stop doing that?!"

"What?"

"EATING CHEWED GUM! SHOW SOME CLASS FOR ONCE!"

Lana just gave a simple shrug. No matter how many times they had this fight, it always boiled down to two things: Lana was the messy one who liked being dirty and Lola was the clean one with a germ phobia. And nothing Lola said was going to make her change that. As the tomboy cast a sideways glance from her fuming sister, that's when she saw something.

"Stop the car!"

"Wha-?"

"I SAID STOP THE CAR!" Lana yelled.

Lola hit the brakes, making the tires screech and leave burned rubber. "What is it?"

"I think...I think I just saw Lincoln...not all of him but I know that white tuft of hair anywhere..."

"What?! Where?!"

"Back up some."

Lola did as instructed. She backed all the way until they could see down another street that lead further into the neighborhood. Sure enough, the twins' eyes weren't deceiving them. About 30 feet away and gaining, back turned, they spotted a white haired boy with an orange polo and blue jeans. Lincoln had been walking around the neighborhood in an attempt to take his mind off his relatives. Being that it was the weekend, it was pretty risky considering that there was a decent chance his family would be out looking for him. However, the boy thought he wouldn't have to worry about this, considering the threat Lucy should've passed down to the others by now. He visited the places he would normally frequent earlier than he usually would, with Ronalda tagging along. She also wanted to get out the house seeing as there was nothing to do. Only recently had they parted for the time being as the school bully wanted to shred some air.

While Lincoln was walking, being left alone did wonders to this thinking. Having earbuds plugged in, the only thing the boy was aware of was where he was walking and what was in front of him. Since his current mood was indifferent, he didn't have anger or sadness to influence his thoughts. Thinking back to his rant on Thursday, he started to feel that he probably took things a little too far in the case of a few of his siblings. For example, Leni wasn't exactly the smartest Loud and was quite gullible. While she did have a few genius moments, those were few and far between to make her seem like a complete monster. Plus, considering that she tended to forget _a lot_ of things and was easily tricked as last April Fools proved, Lincoln supposed he could give Leni a small pass. Same with Lily considering she's only an infant, no matter how many times she annoyed him. Babies don't know a whole lot, and Lily sure as hell isn't like Lisa. He might even give Lisa _some_ credit since she did explain that she tried telling the family of his false luck, but they wouldn't listen.

That wasn't to say they didn't have their moments. During that bet in which the kids had to stop doing their annoying habits, Lincoln had faced 5 to 1 odds and nearly won. He admitted that Lily's habit of crying wasn't annoying, as babies tend to do that a lot when something is wrong and he should've picked something else. Still, as unfair the stakes were, Lincoln technically did prove his point that he could outlast his sisters in giving up their habits. Only Lola was the hardest, but even she had to give in considering the state of her face, and Lincoln wouldn't forgive himself if he purposely made Lily cry. But, Lincoln would admit the stakes were largely geared against him as well. He had to give up his habit forever while the girls would only stop complaining? Sure, they also had to buy him victory undies, but still. Not only that, but just one guy against 11 girls? They each could've collectively ganged up on him to make him surrender his old habit. However, working as a team also had its complications as the girls dropped out one after another in a span of minutes. Yet, when Lily won, which meant all the girls could continue their habits despite losing out and he couldn't read in his underwear anymore. But again, he surmised that Lily and Leni were just influenced by peer pressure and wouldn't act like this on their own accord.

As for the rest of the family, they were a different story. Between Lori's bossy attitude and Lola being the spoiled princess she is, it's quite easy to see why he'd be very upset with them. Just because Lori was the oldest gave her no right to walk over her siblings, and Lola certainly needed to learn that the world didn't revolve around her, and her ego could certainly use an adjustment. Honestly, she was lucky enough to get a B on her test as it was, and B's were pretty good anyway. Sure, she was the sister who got him his victory undies despite losing, but Lola also had a lot of not-so-nice moments to compete with.

 _"She probably gets that attitude from Lori too..."_ Lincoln bitterly thought. "At least Lana is more tolerable...even if she does annoy me at times. I'm still on the fence about forgiving her due to treating me like an object instead of her older brother..."

Those were the few issues he had with those two. As for Luna and Lucy...the boy dawned a frown on his face. Those were two sisters he thought he could trust, in part since Luna seemed to be the nicest out of his older sisters besides Leni, and Lucy tended to confide in Lincoln a lot of things. Yet, he learned the hard way that even those he considered to have a good relationship would be willing to run the bus over him in order to save their hides. All his hard work to get Zombie Bran, and Luna was the first sister to take his treat out of spite. Not to mention the time she literally blasted him out a room with her speakers. Plus there was the time she, along with the rest of the sisters (sans Lucy) blamed him for clogging the toilet. It was no question that Lincoln was still upset that him taking the blame for Lucy ended up amounting to nothing considering she agreed in ousting him from house.

"Some sisters they were..." He muttered, a deeper frown forming. Even if he did have good memories in the past, they sure weren't coming to light right now. "Even if I can't trust Lucy and Luna anymore, that's still nothing compared to Luan and her constant puns and pranks...her puns are one thing, but doesn't she have a brain to realize that her pranking gets tiresome? And annoying? I don't care if it's April Fools Day, that doesn't mean she has the right go insane on the whole family. I ought to have kicked her butt for trying to drag Ronnie Anne into it...especially since she used it as a way to lure me out of my safe place...I mean, I swear what is it with her and April Fools day? She's lucky those raccoons didn't have rabies...and last April was just as hectic. I still can't believe she made dad _buy_ land for a fake clown school and rigged an entire motel to prank us! And speaking of dad, it didn't help he was in on it the whole time...but at least she got a taste of her own medicine; still, Luan said she was going _easy_ on us..." Lincoln shook his head. He looked at his hands, and for the first time in a while, he actually had malicious intent in his mind. "Next time it's April Fools Day, if Luan tries _anything_ , I'm going to find her and kick her butt the first chance I get...I'm not going through a prank hell like last year, and I still owe her a smacking for using my feelings for Ronnie Anne against me...might get her the same way I got Lynn..."

The boy's hands clenched the moment he thought of his egotistical athlete of a sister. He would've put her in her place had she not scored a direct hit to his crotch. While Lynn was actually very regretful of her actions, Lincoln was still convinced she hated him with a passion and bullied him to no end for the sake of her enjoyment. While Lincoln did score a good hit on her foot, he wasn't aware of the damage he did. All he knew is that Lynn busted up his right hand and he couldn't use it properly now. Considering that Lynn also said she wished he had never been born, he'd be sure to give her a bigger piece of his mind if he ran into her again. And this time, no sisters would be around to separate them...

Lincoln still didn't know what to think of his parents outside the fact they tried to oust him from their lives despite raising him since birth, and that altogether was a subject he didn't like talking about...

While the chip-toothed boy was busy with his thoughts, the twins rolled up behind him. It became clear that he didn't know they were there because of the earbuds on his head, which meant they were gonna have to call to him. Both of them were nervous about it because they didn't know if the middle child was just as upset as he was when he left the house, or in slightly better spirits.

"...You should call out to him..." Lana whispered.

"Wait, why me?" Lola whispered back.

"This was your idea!"

"You saw the way he looked at me last time!"

"Well I'm still nervous after the whole gator incident!..."

Lola sighed. "Ok look, we'll shout on 3. 1..." Lana looked nervous. "2..." Lola felt her voice die out for a second, preparing for the worst.

"3!"

"LINCOLN!"

This seemed to work, as the 11 year old stopped walking and turned his head. Seeing the twins, he looked a little less than pleased. "I really gotta stop letting people sneak up on me..." He muttered.

"H-Hi..." Both girls said shyly.

"...Hey..." He responded.

Seeing that Lincoln wasn't too upset about their sudden appearance, Lola decided to break the ice. "S-So...uh...have things been ok?"

"...Not entirely..."

"Well...it's nice seeing that y-your hand is bandaged up..." Lana finally spoke.

Lincoln glanced at his right hand. "I guess...wish I could've gotten a better shot at Lynn though..." He glowered.

 _"Obviously he's still mad about that...gotta change his mind on something else..."_ Lola thought. "We were just passing by and...wanna take a stroll with us?..."

Lincoln took a moment to think about it. "...No..."

"But Lincoln-"

"I'm still wondering if I should forgive either of you over what happened lately. You blamed me for getting a B on your test, and Lana treated me more like an object than her brother...it's not the first time you've done something like that to me Lola, but Lana, do you have any idea how I felt when you said you saved me because you couldn't let your _good luck charm_ be damaged?...I felt like you didn't care about me at all when you said that aside from the fact I still had the suit on...that really hurt..."

"I-I know..." Lana said, her voice barely above a whisper. "...I can't stop thinking about it whenever I go to sleep..." The tomboy was too terrified to recall her nightmare.

Seeing the state her twin was in made Lola step up her game. "Ok look Lincoln. You may not like it but you need to get back home. Our whole family has been a huge mess since you left. We're all sorry about the way we treated you, and we're working to regain your trust, but please...don't make the mistake and get mom and dad arrested..."

Lincoln looked as if he was giving it some thought. Being that this was Lola, he couldn't really take her word for it. But, it did sound like the family was complying with his wishes. Still, the boy was being cautious. "...I'll take your word for it when I see it. I'll come home eventually, but not right now...like I told Lucy, I can't trust any of you guys...plus, I'm not even sure that if my life is on the line, you'll guys actually save me as your brother and not as an object. For all I know, you might not care and just let whatever attacks me finish the job..." He turned to leave.

Lana whimpered like a dog as she felt that comment was directed at her. Lola looked at her near crying sister and grew angry. She jumped out of the car and walked up to Lincoln, snatching the earbuds from him. When he turned to look at her in irritation, Lincoln felt the stinging pain of a flat palm meeting his cheek. "How could you Lincoln?! Your little sister over there has been suffering nightmares repeatedly due to that stupid gator incident, and all you can think about is "I don't care"?! Her nightmares were about not being able to _save you_! She watched from her own eyes about you being torn to pieces! Do you have any idea how much that's hurting her?!"

Lincoln didn't know how to respond to that. "Of course you don't! Because you weren't there!" Lola then pulled his collar down so she could look him straight in the eye. "Now apologize to Lana, or so help me I'm going to-!"

"You're going to do _what_ exactly?..." A voice spoke behind them.

Turning their heads, the trio saw Ronalda with a hard glare on her face. Apparently she finished her skateboarding earlier than expected, as she had a few beads of sweat on her forehead, and a scratch on her cheek.

Lola quickly straightened Lincoln up, even removing the wrinkles around his collar. "N-Nothing Ronnie Anne. We were just saying hi." She laughed nervously.

"Really? Cause I'm pretty sure I heard a threat just now..." The elder girl stated, her free hand clenched into a fist.

"N-No. Why would I do anything of the sort?" Lola said before grabbing something out the car's trunk. It was a small, hand-wrapped box. "Here Linky! Me and Lana made this for you! Bye!" The cleaner twin jumped into her car before speeding off until they were out of sight.

Ronalda watched until she couldn't see the twins anymore. She then turned her attention to Lincoln. "You ok?"

"Yeah...just annoyed...and I could've handled her myself you know. And what happened to you?"

"From the way you were looking at her, I think you were about to have Lola have her way with you." She smirked. "And as for the bruise...did a landing wrong. I was lucky enough not to smash my face in..."

""Ouch..." Lincoln replied, then did a double-check. " Hey! N-No I wasn't! I could've easily held her off!...But were you really gonna hit her?"

The Hispanic girl took a moment to respond. "...I wouldn't have wanted to...but like I told you the other night, I was going to protect you no matter what...even if it's from your own family...so what did they want?..."

"They wanted to spend time with me I guess, but obviously I wasn't in the mood for it...then I made Lana upset because I still am miffed at her for that whole incident at that wrestling tournament...I'm just a bit conflicted right now...Lola was just defending her and what I said may have been too harsh..."

"Well, you can think about it on the way back. Let's just get home before more of your sisters show up..." She took his hand and started leading him down the street. "By the way, you gonna open that?" She gestured to the box.

Lincoln shook the box and heard something extremely light in it. At least he could now tell it wasn't anything heavy like a boxing glove pulled back to punch him the second he opened the package. "...I'll open it later..."

As the couple walked away, 2 pairs of eyes spied on them from a nearby bush. Although Lola had driven out of their line of sight, all she did was park around the corner before the twins got back within earshot. They managed to catch the parts where both kids referred to home, and it didn't take a genius to guess whose house they were talking about. The two looked at each other in shock before jumping back into the car and sped home. Everyone was gonna want to hear about this.

* * *

Lori had been busy looking up stuff on her computer for the last few hours. Her talks with Bobby had proven fruitless, as the hard worker didn't have much of a clue on how to help. Not only that, but Roberto was being oddly quiet over the past day or so...Lori couldn't place her finger on it, but she felt that her boyfriend was probably hiding something. As to why, she couldn't tell, but she'd find out sooner or later. The oldest sibling was currently searching on an Ace Savvy website, as knowing Lincoln, he loved anything dealing with the series. However, she was looking for something in particular that could have words edited onto it. She had a lot to say to her brother about her behavior towards him. Leni was absent, but you could hear the sound of a buzzsaw working on wood in the garage.

Lori looked out the window for a brief moment and saw the twins in Lola's princess car. She thought nothing of it, until the sounds of tiny footsteps were heard rushing up the steps and towards her door. Swiveling around in the chair, she met the gazes of the twins right as they burst into the room. They started talking at the same time, yelling different sentences that Lori couldn't quite make out.

"Woah woah girls. One at a time."

"WE KNOW WHERE LINCOLN IS!" They shouted.

"Wait, literally?! Where?!"

Seconds later, the entire house and everyone within hearing range of it heard Lori yell two, distinct words: "HE'S WHAT?!"

 **A/N: Another cliff hanger. Yep, I wouldn't have Lisa spill the beans, but that didn't mean no one else would find out. Now, some of you wished for Lynn Sr. to get wrecked by Albert, but I believe having his son hate him is enough for the poor guy. Plus, the family already has constant reminders of it, so telling them how crappy they are will eventually drive someone into a rage.**

 **As for Lincoln, it's becoming clear that he's beginning to feel conflicted with his emotions. On one end, he could stand to potentially forgive a few of his sisters due to reasons stated, but for the others? They need to work for it. Also, you may have seen that I included some elements from Fool's Paradise. I hoped Luan might back off from her pranking spree this time around, but in some regard got a little worse. Sure, Fool's Paradise is better than April Fools Rules in the fact that all of the family gets hit and Luan gets some much needed karma, though she does approach amoral territory a few times, such as lacing pies with stuff Lana is allergic to.**

 **By the way, while Ronalda has moved away as of Relative Chaos, I'm not gonna make any mentions of that episode in this story as it has no relation.**


	10. An Act of Forgiveness

**A/N: Well, Lori didn't appear to be too happy about the news she received from the twins, and no doubt her screaming attracted the attention of the rest of the family. What will they do? What was inside that box the twins gave to Lincoln? And will it be enough to make him return home? Probably not, but it may put him on the path of consideration.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Whatever peace there was at the Loud House was quickly shattered by Lori's distinct yelling, and she only ever put the L in Loud when she was indignantly furious about something. Her yelling not only spooked the girls, but it also caused them to make a few mishaps to their projects: Leni ended up making a long jagged line on the side of the bed frame she was making, a loud explosion was heard from Lisa's room, Lucy ended up getting an unnecessary amount of ink on a page she was writing on, and Luna was restringing her guitar when Lori yelled out, causing the tender lines to break. Luan was practicing a routine involving water for the video the two were making, which she soon found herself gagging for air due to the sudden interruption. Perhaps the only person not too affected was Lynn, who only gave a startled yelp. In a mix of mild irritation and surprise, the rest of the sisters stampeded to Lori and Leni's room to see what had the misfortune of pissing off their eldest sibling.

Upon opening the door, the girls saw the twins rubbing their sore ears while Lori herself was pacing around the room with the meanest look she could muster. "I literally cannot believe this! He told me he didn't know where he was, AND HE LIED TO MY FACE!"

"Geez sis, what's the damage?" Luna said irritably.

"The _'damage'_ is that Bobby lied to me about where Lincoln is!" Lori fumed.

This was certainly news to the others, minus Lisa and Lily, who exchanged a worried glance. "What do you mean he lied about where he was?!" Luan asked on edge.

The eldest pointed at the twins. "Ask these two! I'm gonna call Bobby _right now_..." Lori spoke through gritted teeth as she started to dial her boyfriend's number.

The others looked to the twins and started bombarding them with questions, not that they'd be able to answer with 4 mouths talking at once. Lisa however, was more focused on her eldest sister. She had two options here: let Lori call Roberto, thus letting the Santiagos know they are aware of Lincoln's whereabouts, which may potentially anger the 11 year old, or do something that could potentially earn her a bruise to the cranium: get between Lori and her phone. Either way, no one was going to be happy with the results. Hearing the dial tone ringing on Lori's phone, Lisa deduced she had approximately 1.44 seconds before Roberto would answer, and seeing Lily's panicked face staring back at her, the child prodigy knew what she had to do.

Jumping onto one of the beds, the 4 year old grabbed a pillow and threw it at Lori. The soft object hit in right in the face, stunning the teen and causing her to drop her phone. Unfortunately for the hand-held device, it landed on its top corner, causing the screen to crack and the device to shut off prematurely. Lori looked at her prized possession in complete horror as she let out a shrilled gasp, the others finally taking notice. The eldest then turned to give a livid gaze at the one responsible for this act.

"Lisa..." Lori stomped towards her.

"Lori, I-I know you're angry about me damaging your handheld device, b-but-" Lisa started, backing up a bit on the bed nervously. She was quickly hoisted up by her collar as Lori held her death glare.

"And what had to be so important that you needed to break my phone?!"

"I...well...you see-"

"If it was for another one of your dumb experiments, I'm gonna-" Lori started before Lisa interrupted.

"I...I've known the whereabouts of our estranged brother as well..." Lisa finally blurted out, leaving the others even more confused. First the twins, and now Lisa? Who else was keeping secrets around here?

"Wait, if you knew where our bro was, why didn't you say anything Lis?" Luna asked, trying to diffuse the situation. "And on top of that, _where_ _is he_?"

Lisa sighed. "There's no avoiding this is there...when we came back home yesterday, I noticed that Lincoln's backpack was missing from its position after that...unfortunate altercation on Thursday. I was unsure if anyone else noticed, but it seems you didn't. So, I assumed that Lincoln probably came back to reclaim his possessions or someone broke into the house. Thankfully it was the former, but he wasn't the only person that came by yesterday..."

"Who else did?" Lucy asked.

"It's better if I show you...and can you please put me down?..." Lisa said irritably. Lori complied and released her grip.

The girls went over to Lisa and Lily's room where the child prodigy pulled up her surveillance cameras. Given how each camera not only covered sections of the house, but also every bedroom, there were some complaints about the lack of privacy. Luan felt a little guilty about this, as she also had such a system set up to record any potential gags. Lisa opened up her video feed from the previous day, and the rest of the sisters (minus Lily) gasped as they saw Lincoln and Ronalda stroll through the house, packing up the boy's belongings. It was bad enough that Lincoln ran away, but the fact he took a pile of clothes and other possessions with him like he never lived there anymore increased the guilt that had been pooling in them since. At least they had full confirmation that their brother was with people he knew, and wasn't too far away.

Lynn felt she was going to cry again. It was one thing to inadvertently drive her brother out of her life, but to see it in real time hurt her to the core. Looking at the floor in shame, the words she spoke from her conversation with Pop-Pop still rang in her head. Lucy put a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing of the inner turmoil her athletic sister was plagued with. The emo also heard the talk Lynn and Albert had due to the window being open.

"So...like...what do we do now?" Leni asked.

"Although this may be against the interests of some of you...it's best that we feign knowledge of his whereabouts..." Lisa stated.

A chorus of what's and why's immediately followed.

"Let me finish..." The 4 year old stated. "Incase you all forget, if the information Lucy relayed to us remains true, Lincoln still has the option of bringing the attention of local law enforcement if we don't respect his wishes. While I know most of you would like to go visit him at the Santiago residence, not only would such an act let our male sibling become aware of the fact we know of his current location, it could cause him to seek shelter elsewhere. If that were to happen, tracking him down would be rather difficult... let's count this as a coincidence that he's only 4.3 miles away. Not only that, Lincoln stated he wanted to come home on his own, and if we try to visit him he may think we would be trying to force his return. I'm pretty sure none of you would like the consequences of that..." The child prodigy explained.

The girls nodded in unison.

"Well that's just great..." Lori replied sarcastically. "Our brother is literally only 10 minutes away and we can't even see him...if Ronnie Anne knows, then Bobby knows...but what about Mr. and Mrs. Santiago?..."

"Chances are if they knew about it, we'd have the cops on our doorstep within a day..." Lola answered.

"And speaking of which...how did you guys run into Lincoln? I thought you two were just going out." Luan eyed the twins suspiciously.

Lola and Lana glanced nervously. "Uh...we went out to...look for him?" They both smiled in an attempt to not be so easily cowed.

"Wait, so literally went out to find him? Without telling us? What if you accidentally angered him?" Lori asked.

Lana twiddled her fingers. "We just wanted to give him a gift..."

Luna shrugged. "I don't see anything wrong with that...bro does want us to change, right?"

"Indeed, but given our current predicament, it's best to exercise caution..." Lisa added.

"...How is he?" Lynn asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hmm?" Lola gave a glance.

"...Is he doing ok?..." The jock asked again.

The princess took a moment to think about it. "Well...I guess? He didn't seem happy to see us, but he wasn't too mad about it."

"...Are we in trouble?..." Lana asked.

The rest looked at each other. "No. But please don't lie about saying where you're going." Leni told them.

"So what about Mom, Dad, and Pop-Pop? I know our parents went to the store, but isn't Pop-Pop still out there looking for him?" The comedian questioned.

"Not to worry. Our parents and grandfather will be notified soon enough. However, like us, I would recommend they don't try to visit Lincoln..."

"On that note...how do you think Mom and Dad feel about all this? Being sisters we should know better than this, but being _parents_? It's gotta be way harsh..." Luna quipped.

"We all heard what they were talking about Luna, so I'm pretty sure our parents are taking this harder than the rest of us...more importantly, do you still regret being a part of this family?" Lori asked, casting an uncertain glance at the musician.

"...No..." Luna rubbed her arm. "Sorry about sayin' that stuff dudes...I was just upset none of us had seen what we were doing to him until it was too late...but I was a giant hypocrite because it's not like I was any better..."

"Still...you were the first to realize it..." Lynn replied.

"Ah come on girls. We can't stay in the dumps forever. Like I always say, Laughter is the best medicine!" Luan chuckled. "So let's stop moping and focus on getting Linky back!"

Lucy nodded. "For once, I agree with you on that." She gave a side glance to Lynn. _"If only we could get Lynn to do the same thing..."_ She thought.

* * *

After running into the twins, Lincoln and Ronalda quickly made their way back to the Santiago household. Fortunately, they didn't run into anymore of the Louds, but Lincoln couldn't help but begin to wonder what was going on at his old home. He didn't know if his family was taking his threats seriously, but from the way the twins seemed nervous about being near him, it might have been some indication that they were. Or, they were just afraid of making him angry. Either way, Lincoln was starting to feel he may have been a little too harsh on the two girls. All they wanted was just a short walk with their brother. It wasn't like they were begging him to come back. Still, the boy couldn't trust everything they said until he had enough evidence that suggested otherwise.

 _"Maybe this box is a sign that they_ are _taking this seriously."_ Lincoln thought.

Upon entering the house, Ronalda went to go get a Band-Aid for her face while Lincoln sat on the couch. The boy could hear her mother scolding the 11 year old for yet another injury.

Bobby came out of his room a minute later, dressed in his pizza delivery outfit. "Guess Nie Nie hurt herself again...hey bro! What's with the box?"

"Lola and Lana gave this to me today. I'm kinda cautious about opening it though..."

"Well...at least it was sweet of them to do that." The 17 year old looked at his watch. "Shoot, better go. Those pizzas won't deliver themselves!" With that, the teen showed himself the door.

Lincoln went back to staring at the box, debating on whether or not to open it. On one hand, the girls seemed sincere in giving him the present, even if it was rushed. On the other side...Lola did threaten him due to his attitude. But that was only because she was standing up for her sister...was that tomboy really having nightmares about that incident at the tournament? The ashen-haired kid wasn't sure, but it might have been true, considering that Lola rarely defended Lana on much of anything and spent more time fighting her instead.

"You gonna open that thing soon or are you gonna trash it?" Ronalda came in, an annoyed look on her face. A Band-Aid covered the scratch on her cheek.

"Well, they went through all that trouble to give this to me...I guess it's worth opening...what did your mom say?"

"Can't skateboard for the rest of the weekend. She doesn't want me to get another 'severe' injury..." The Hispanic girl replied sarcastically.

"Well, at least you aren't covered head-to-toe in bandages and fed hot soup. That's what I got from getting a _papercut_."

Ronalda tried to stifle a laugh. "Really? I wonder what would happen if you got just a thumb cramp."

"I was given electrotherapy, with a defib-unit..." Lincoln said dryly.

The tough girl started laughing. "O-Oh man. I'm sorry Lincoln, but that's just hilarious!"

The boy's cheeks became heated from the embarrassment. "You wouldn't be laughing if it was you receiving it..."

"But, at least they meant well, even if your sisters methods were overboard."

"Yeah..." Lincoln stated sadly. His hand gripped the box before he started tearing off the wrapping paper. He had some difficulty removing the tape, but Ronalda got a pair of scissors and jammed it open. Inside the box was a pink card that was decorated with sparkles and glitter, no doubt Lola's work. It also had drawings of animals, obviously Lana's artwork. It read "To our favorite brother" on the front. Lincoln picked it up and opened the inside, seeing a rather long paragraph. Ronalda leaned over so she could read it as well.

 _Dear Lincoln,_

 _While we know you are very upset with everyone in the house, we want to show you that we deeply regret how we've treated you in the past. This probably isn't much since this is only a hand-made card, but it's the best we could do in a short amount of time. We're not very good with words, but we want to have the chance to tell you how sorry we are for treating you like a philistine and as a good luck charm. There have been times that you would annoy us both and we would be upset at you, but we would always remember that you are our brother and love us a lot. Sure, there were a couple times where you used us for selfish reasons, but we aren't so different. While both of us get into fights a lot of the time, there's one thing we can both agree on...you're always there to settle our arguments. We can still remember the times you tucked us in at night when mom and dad weren't able to, and helped with a number of situations such as Lola's beauty pageants, or the time you helped Lana save a bunch of frogs from the school (or the time you helped Lana win one herself). Or the time you-_

This went on for the next few sentences; the twins recalling the stuff Lincoln did for them, even when he wasn't in the mood to help. He decided to skip those, as he could recall those memories easy enough.

 _But point is, we've forgot what a great big brother you've been to us and we're deeply sorry :'( :'(_

 _P.S. Lola: I'm sorry for getting mad at you about getting a B on that test. I shouldn't have blamed you for something that wasn't your fault...and I mean it this time..._

 _P. P. S. (heh, Pee Pee) Lana: Sorry for calling you a good luck charm and treating you like one...Also, Hops says hi._

 _With love,_

 _Lola and Lana_

That card wasn't the only thing in the box either, as there appeared to be a few photos sitting in the bottom. Studying them, Lincoln felt a particular feeling begin to swell in his chest. The pictures were from one of the family's photo albums, and in those pictures showed a younger Lincoln playing with the twins. One of them depicted him napping with the girls, who were just infants at the time. Lola was sleeping on his chest while Lana was cuddled up next to him. It would have been difficult to tell the twins apart if it weren't for the fact they had different colored blankets. Lola's was pink, though Lana's was blue despite being a female. Another picture was taken at the beach, the twins making a sand castle while Lincoln was helping them get more building material. The twins were only 2 at the time. Around that same time period Lincoln was rubbing sun screen on Lana, who thought it was funny to rub some on his face. In yet another picture, it was shown just after Lincoln had chipped his tooth. Even though he had already gotten treatment for the injury, the twins wouldn't stop playing nurse until they were sure he was ok, and this photo was taken just 3 years ago. As annoying as it was...Lincoln thought it felt nice that his little sisters cared so much for him.

The last picture was taken more recently, with the kids being their current ages. It was during one of the times Lola was pretending to be a princess, Lana as her knight, and Lincoln as the monster trying to breech their cardboard fortress. Unlike the time they purposely set this up as advice for Clyde, all 3 of them were actually enjoying themselves and had fun. This, along with the other photos of the good times he had with his little sisters had began to fill the boy with guilt, and he hadn't noticed he started to cry until a tear drop landed on the photo.

Ronalda couldn't help but find the photos rather cute. She noticed a few tears running from her boyfriend's eyes, wiping one away with her finger. "You alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah...I'm fine... _Nie Nie_." Lincoln grinned as he cleared his eyes. Pain shot through his left arm a second later. "Ow!"

"I warned you about calling me that." She smirked.

"I saw you smiling though." Lincoln replied.

"That's not smiling. That's an upside down frown." Ronalda retorted teasingly.

"Suuure it was...Nie Nie..." Lincoln started to laugh, even as the tomboy stopped grinning and pinched his ear.

Maria walked in to see the two horseplaying. The mother found it pretty nice to see that her daughter was helping her friend through some very tough times. She didn't want to interrupt, but they still needed to eat. "Don't get too comfortable now kids, we still have to make dinner." She walked into the kitchen.

Ronalda whispered into his ear. "You haven't earned the right to call me Nie Nie yet." She finished it by pecking the boy's sore earlobe.

"Haven't earned it? What do I have to do to do that?" Lincoln asked, rubbing his hearing hole.

"That's for you to find out~" She winked before going to assist her mother.

Lincoln grew a little confused. Since when did Ronnie Anne learn how to flirt? He didn't know if this was because the tomboy was trying to get in touch with her more feminine side, or she just liked seeing Lincoln blush. Either way, the boy's cheeks were once again heated up just thinking about it.

* * *

The rest of the day winded down without much action. Albert's search proved fruitless, whilst the parents had been busy at the local grocery store (it took some doing to convince the manager to allow them to shop there again). Once they arrived, the girls revealed Lincoln's location. Since Albert had no clue where the Santiagos lived, he didn't need to heed this warning as much. The grandfather just figured he might run into his grandson tomorrow. As for Rita and Lynn Sr., they were elated by the fact that Lincoln wasn't too far away from them; but it was still painful to know they could not willingly visit him to make things right. Like everyone else, they'd have to catch him by chance. Even so, if either parent did happen to stumble upon their son, it would be a pretty awkward affair. While it was clear what kind of reservations Lincoln had with his sisters, it was pretty vague with the adults. How would you approach someone who has loved you since birth but tried to cast you out on silly accusations? If Lincoln was accused of stealing, or God forbid, a felony, then that could give the parents some reason to doubt their son. But even so, they _know_ Lincoln. They would know how he's supposed to act and he wouldn't do anything so heinous.

However, their latest act only proved that they didn't support him as much as one would think. Leaving their son with the assumption that they would support their daughters more than their son, Rita and Lynn Sr. would have to prove him wrong. They just weren't sure how to do it...

As for Lincoln, after reading the gift he received from the twins, the boy felt very conflicted with his inner feelings. He felt was ready to forgive the twins for what happened, but there was still the side of him that felt if he forgave them so easily, they would go and repeat the same thing and learn nothing. However, this was the first time the twins actually reminded him of the good times they used to share, but even so, there were also a good amount of negative experiences to counter it. Such a debate prevented Lincoln from getting a restless sleep, and even Ronalda couldn't help him on this one. Getting up the next morning, he had so many questions on his mind that he couldn't answer by himself. Lincoln needed help, and there was only one person he could think of to talk about them.

"So what did you think about when you read their gift?" Clyde asked as he walked with his best friend to Ketcham Park.

"For the first time since this whole thing started...I felt...I felt like I had regained something I thought I wouldn't feel from my family again..."

"Interesting. And what was this feeling?" The nerdy child asked, trying to sound like a professional therapist.

"...I felt...I felt like I was loved again Clyde...even though it was small, after seeing those pictures, I had that feeling like I actually meant something...I just don't know what to do right now..." Lincoln told him as they stopped against a tree. There were several people in the park when they arrived, some playing with pets, some parents tending to their babies or toddlers, and others just relaxing.

"And what are you confused about?"

"I'm not exactly angry at my _entire_ family anymore (even if they all agreed to lock me out), but I still don't like them...but I was thinking that maybe...maybe I could stand to forgive a few of them. I'm not gonna forgive all of them yet, but I can't exactly blame Leni and Lily for getting roped into what happened...and now the twins are showing remorse in a particularly creative way...I'm just worried that things would end up going back to the way they were and they wouldn't take me seriously again..."

"I see. Sounds like you're afraid of letting them get too close to you. I think it's normal to be feeling this way after what happened, especially in your case. But, you still want to forgive them right?" Clyde asked.

"...Yeah..."

"Then you need to open up your heart more. Not literally of course, but you need to give them a chance to make things right. I know that's probably difficult...but it's one of the first steps to mending a broken relationship."

Lincoln blinked at the advice his friend just gave him. "...Those sessions with Dr. Lopez are really helping you aren't they?"

"Couldn't come from anywhere else." Clyde smirked. "Also, haven't said anything before, but nice to see that your hand has healed nicely."

"Yeah...somewhat..." Lincoln admitted. While he didn't have to wear bandages anymore, the scars from Lynn's teeth were still present. He also occasionally felt a little pain if he kept his fingers flexed for too long.

"Training your squirrel how to store nuts nerd?" A voice called out to them.

Spinning around, Lincoln and Clyde were met with Chandler and his posse, which now had two additional people from their class.

"Oh great... _him..."_ Lincoln grumbled.

"What do you want now Chandler?..." Clyde asked, also unamused by the red head's appearance.

"Oh just passin' by on a nice day, happened to come across you losers." Chandler stated as he strolled past them.

"Don't you have anything better to do?..." Lincoln exasperated.

"Besides taking the opportunity to make fun of you on a nice day?...Nnnnngh yeah not really. So how's the foraging going?" Chandler teased.

Ronalda told him he wasn't worth it, but Lincoln was growing more and more irritated with Chandler being around him. "Oh for the love of-I'm NOT a squirrel!"

"Ya sure? You still got that chipped tooth of yours that says otherwise." One of the boys said, causing Chandler's group to laugh. Lincoln balled his hands into fists as he felt himself getting angrier by the second.

Clyde put a hand on Lincoln's shoulder. "Come on buddy, let's get out of here..." The African-American tried to guide his friend away, but two boys blocked their path.

"Now hold on a sec there nerd. Since you're having issues with your pet, how about we teach him for you."

"Teach him? What do you-" Clyde questioned but was suddenly restrained by two members of the posse. "Hey! Let go of me!"

"Chandler! Who do you think you're-oof!" Lincoln found himself pushed onto his back, the wind knocked out of him even further as the fattest kid in the group sat on him and restrained his arms.

"Just a guy whose going to give you your daily feeding." The red head stated smugly as he started gathering a bunch of acorns from the base of a few trees.

Not too far off from the group, Lana was sitting next to Hops at the park's lake. This time when she left the house, she said she was going to the park to play with Hops. This held some truth as she initially played with her best friend, but over time she began to think about her brother, opting to pause at the lake's edge. The messy child wondered if Lincoln opened hers and Lola's gift. She really hoped he didn't just trash it when he had the chance, cause the pictures they put in there didn't have copies. The words he said to them yesterday still stung her, but Lana didn't blame Lincoln for his attitude. He wasn't aware of the nightmares that plagued her, plus Lincoln was understandably still upset with them for various reasons.

"You think he liked the present we gave him Hops?" Lana asked her companion. Hops gave a croak in response. "Yeah...I mean while it was kinda short and probably won't top what the others are planning, it's the best we could do that wouldn't take too long. And no offense to Lola, but I wasn't gonna perform in another pageant..."

Hops croaked in agreement. One Lola was bad enough. There didn't need to be _two_ of them. "I wonder what Lincoln is up to right now..."

"Get those things away from me!" A struggling voice was heard.

"Stop being a baby and eat your lunch!" A snarky voice replied.

Lana was confused at first, but she recognized that voice anywhere. "Lincoln?..." Getting up, she climbed up the small hill and saw her brother, but he wasn't alone. She saw Clyde being held back by two boys while another pinned her brother to the ground. A red headed one was trying to force feed him tree seeds while another in a red hoodie with a partially shaved head stood and watched. Every time the redheaded boy tried to put one in Lincoln's mouth, the white-haired child would bite at his fingers.

"Stop fighting so much! Luke, hold his mouth open!" Chandler ordered.

Luke took his hands from his pockets and knelt down to Lincoln's level. The middle Loud child did his best to keep his mouth shut, but one swift punch to his cheek forced him to cry out in pain for a brief moment. Luke took this chance to pry the boy's mouth wide open, with Lincoln clearly resisting. Lana had been watching this in shock, before she was overcome with rage. She didn't know who these boys think they were, but she wasn't going to let them push her brother around.

Chandler gave his typical smug grin as he was about to drop a load of acorns into Lincoln's mouth. But before he got the chance to, something thick and sticky hit him in the back of the head, making him drop the seeds.

"What the-" Another sticky substance, which turned out to be mud, nailed him in the head again. Luke was hit in the face along with the fat kid sitting on Lincoln.

"Get away from my brother you jerks!" Lana cried out as she unleashed a mud barrage at the bullies.

"Damn brat..Kevin! Well use you as a shield!"

The bratty kids stumbled as they were pelted by moist soil, though some of those clumps contained small rocks which causes a few injuries. Getting irritated, the 5 boys turned their full attention to the lone 6 year old. To make sure Lincoln and Clyde didn't retaliate immediately after being released, Clyde was punched in his gut twice while Kevin jumped onto Lincoln's stomach, causing the boy to hold his abdomen in pain.

Clyde gasped for a moment before making his way over to Lincoln. "Lincoln...Lincoln you ok?"

"I'm, fine...gotta help Lana..." Lincoln spoke through grunts as he turned over onto his stomach, trying to get to his feet.

Kevin used his girth to block the incoming shots as the boys advanced on Lana, who was becoming nervous. She aimed at Kevin's face to slow him down, but she couldn't keep this up as her arms were getting tired. The tomboy started panting as the muscles in her arms became too strained to keep up her attacks. By then though, the bullies managed to get within several feet of her. Lana tried to run away but one of the kids caught up quick and grabbed her by the back of her overalls.

"Put me down you meanies!" Lana said, struggling to get free.

"Oh well do more than put you down." Kevin chuckled, before a frog suddenly jumped onto his face. "Aaagh! Get it off! Get it off!" He screamed as he tried to pry the animal off his face.

Chandler ran over and grabbed the frog off the boy's face before throwing the amphibian into the lake. "Stupid frogs..."

"Hey! That was my best friend you just threw!"

"Oh don't worry. You'll join him soon enough." Chandler grinned. Since Lana's overall straps seemed to be able to stretch a considerable amount, the red head got an idea. "Hold her tight boys."

Luke and Kevin complied as they held onto the struggling 6 year old by her straps. Chandler roughly grabbed hold of Lana before pulling her back a few feet, her straps being stretched to their limit. When he let go, the little girl shot forward like a bullet, giving a terrified scream. She tumbled down the hill, grunting repeatedly until she landed face first into the shallow end of the lake, he hat floating out a small distance away. Lana groggily sat up, muttering something as pain coursed through her arms and legs. She spat out the foul-tasting sea water before sitting on her butt. Lana looked back to see the boys laughing at her from atop the hill. A pinching feeling developed in her stomach, the utter embarrassment of being flung like a ragdoll hitting her hard. She tried to help Lincoln, only to become a target herself. And now she was soaking wet and possibly developing bruises, and her only brother was unable to help her. Lana could feel her eyes beginning to water as the overwhelming sensation of dread came to her. She didn't want to be seen crying in front of the bullies, as it would egg them on even more. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop herself as the waterworks started.

"Hey check it out! She's crying like a baby!" One of them pointed out, causing them to laugh harder.

Clyde let out an audible gasp when he saw what they did to Lana. He felt even more concerned for Lincoln, who he was sure had clearly seen everything. The African-American was about mad enough to go confront those boys himself when he noted how unresponsive his friend was.

"Lincoln?" Nothing. "Lincoln?!" Clyde waved his hand in front of him, but still got nothing.

While it seemed that Lincoln was stuck in a daze, Clyde didn't know that Lincoln was actually coming to terms with what just occurred. The ashen-haired boy was both distraught and shocked. Chandler had attacked his little sister, and he just lied there on the ground due to stomach pain. The guilt washed over him immediately when he saw the boys fling Lana towards the lake. The middle child was absolutely shaken to his core when he heard her scream. He was her older sibling, and as such he was supposed to protect her from people like Chandler and his goons. Whatever misdeeds Lana had done immediately went out the window the second he heard the boys laughing at the fact Lana was crying.

"Those...heartless...little..." Lincoln growled.

How dare they do this Lana? Those boys could pick on him all they want, but _no one_ messed with his little sisters, especially in front of him. They even had the _nerve_ to laugh at her when she was clearly suffering. Clyde noticed Lincoln's face turning beat red as the chipped-toothed boy gritted his teeth. The onslaught of rage hitting him was so strong that it was roughly the same as the time Lincoln got into his fight with Lynn on Thursday. His hands clawed into the dirt as they curled into fists, Lincoln's entire body trembling with building anticipation. He needed to release his anger, and he needed to do it _now_. Luckily for him, the boy had 5 giant targets laughing their asses off right in front of him. Those 5 boys were going to rue the day they crossed him...

"Uh...L-Lincoln?..." Clyde asked nervously, but once again his friend hadn't heard him.

Still holding a murderous glare, Lincoln got to his feet, ignoring his sore stomach. He spotted a dead branch hanging off a nearby tree, which gave him an idea. He walked over to it and, with a little difficulty, broke the branch off its parent with a loud snap.

"CHANDLER!"

The boys stopped laughing as they saw an angry Lincoln seething as he dragged a branch almost twice his length on the ground. "You. Fucking. Basterd!..." He muttered through gritted teeth.

The boys became unnerved as they clearly did not expect Lincoln to be as angry as he appeared right now. "Ok, someone's angry..." Kevin stated.

"Oh come on. There's 5 of us and one of him! If Larry wants to get pummeled, then we'll give it to him, _for free..._ " Chandler pointed out.

The boys then charged the lone 11 year old. Squinting his eyes, Lincoln gripped the branch with both hands before swinging the widest part of it at them. The tiny mini-branches cut up the faces of two of the boys at the front of the group, stunning them long enough for Lincoln to kick one hard in his crotch and deliver a swift blow to the nose of the other. They both fell, screaming in agony as Kevin swung a meaty fist at Lincoln. Instinctively, Lincoln blocked with the old branch, causing it to break in two. He then threw the wider part at Kevin, who dodged to the side, but didn't get the chance to avoid Lincoln jabbing him in the gut by the thicker base of the branch. Doubling over, Lincoln hit him twice in the head, with the base, breaking whatever remained of the branch and leaving two large welts on the boy's head.

Luke and Chandler felt a little nervous now, seeing how easily Lincoln just dispatched 3 members of their group without even pausing for breath. Since Lincoln didn't have a weapon anymore, they could try to flank him and overwhelm him that way. Lincoln targeted Luke first, who proved that he did know how to fight as he managed to land a few blows to Lincoln's body. Chandler was about to come in from behind, but Clyde jumped in as a distraction, wanting to get some pay back on the ring leader himself. Lincoln dodged another blow from Luke before wrapping his arms around the boy's midsection. With a heavy breath, he lifted Luke up and performed a suplex on him, making the hooded boy land hard on his back. Luke didn't have time to respond as Lincoln quickly nailed the boy twice in the face, putting him out. Lincoln wouldn't admit it then, but he was glad Lynn used wrestling moves on him.

The ashen-haired boy panted a bit, his face still red with aggression. He was growing a little tired, but he wasn't finished yet. Giving a quick swivel of his head, he found Chandler in a dead lock with Clyde. Giving a loud yell, Lincoln bolted towards the red head, who was still focused on his best friend. Both Clyde and Chandler were surprised as a flash of white suddenly cut in, Lincoln pinning Chandler to the ground.

"What's your deal Larry?! It's just a prank!"

"So picking on my sister is a _prank_ to you?!" Lincoln retorted before repeated sacking Chandler in the face. The blows were pretty harsh as the red head felt that Lincoln was trying to smash his face in. The white-haired boy was complete fed up with Chandler: his attitude, his constant teasing, tricking him into giving him free stuff, and being a nuisance to his school life in general. The fact that he tried to force-feed him acorns _and_ toss his little sister at a lake was all it took to finally draw out another enraged Lincoln. Each hit he landed felt like pure bliss to him, the act of enacting on his long bottled up rage finally being quelled. After 12 swings, Chandler had a broken nose, swollen cheeks, missing teeth, and a black eye.

Clyde stood nervously as he watched Lincoln continue to wail on the poor boy. Sure, he deserved it, but he had never seen Lincoln this angry before...perhaps him losing it before fighting Lynn wasn't as far-fetched as it sounded. The fact he just took on 5 kids in a fit of rage was enough proof that this new side of Lincoln was quite destructive, and he would likely stop at nothing until he got out of his episode...

"P-Please...no more!" Chandler cried out after being punched for the 20th time.

Lincoln grabbed him by his shirt collar. "What is my name Chandler?..." He spoke in a low voice. After not getting a response, he punched him again. "WHAT IS MY NAME?! AND CALL ME 'LARRY' ONE MORE TIME! I _FUCKING_ DARE YOU!" He panted.

"L-L-...Lincoln!..." He finally cried out.

The angered child released him. "You can pick on me all you want...but if you, or your friends, go _anywhere_ near my sisters or mess with my friends again...you better _pray_ , that I don't find you..." With that, Lincoln got up, leaving Chandler a withering mess on the ground.

Lincoln continued to breath heavily, with his best friend too nervous to get near him. Clyde was worried Lincoln might turn his rage onto him, but seeing the boy's face returning back to its normal color and his breaths becoming more even debunked this.

"Y-You ok buddy?..."

"I'm sorry Clyde..."

"Huh?"

"Sorry you had to see all of that...I...I just lost it when I saw what they did to Lana..."

Clyde didn't know why Lincoln would be apologizing for that. Although he was an only child, he'd be highly upset too if he saw his younger brother/sister getting picked on. Lincoln walked over to the lake, where Lana's sobs were growing ever so clear. He spotted his tomboyish little sister crying into her knees. Looking at her reminded him of the night he ran off, wanting to be alone to wallow in his pity. Yet, Ronalda found him and comforted him. He just couldn't let Lana sit there crying. Even after everything that happened, Lincoln finally came to realize that he still loved his sister, and she needed him...now more than ever...

Lana paused when she heard footsteps approaching her. Looking up, she saw the saddened expression of her brother. She noted that he had a few bruises on his face, no doubt from fighting those boys. Looking her over, Lincoln saw Lana had also developed a few bruises, making him wish he pounded those bullies' faces even more. Sitting down next to her, Lincoln wrapped his arms around the toddler, bringing her into his embrace. Lana returned the gesture, hugging him as best she could as she continued to cry. Although she would continue to cry at the prospect of being a victim of bullying, at least now she had her brother to comfort her, and she was very grateful for that.

 **A/N: Well, that operation was a complete success, and I believe someone has finally come to terms with one of his sisters. Also, Clyde is now the only other person aside from the Louds to witness Lincoln's rage episode. He wouldn't be the only one to see it though, cause if you're fighting in the middle of a public park with people around, _someone_ is gonna record it. Next chapter, we'll see how Lincoln and Lana are doing, as well as everyone else once they hear about what happened at the park.**


	11. Going Viral

**A/N: Well, we can all agree that what happened last chapter was well-deserved. Just because Lincoln is at odds with his family, doesn't mean that he won't stand up for his sisters, especially if the person that's attacking them already pissed him off. None of those boys wouldn't have gotten that bad of a beating had they not messed with Lana, as that just added rocket fuel to the already brewing wildfire.**

 **Since Lincoln was going against 5 people, I thought it'd make more sense for him to use an improvised weapon, hence the dead branch. I don't believe that he'll fly into a rage like this every so often. It just takes a lot of contributing factors to trigger him. Anyway, let's look at how these events change things.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Lincoln had been rubbing his sister's back for the past few minutes, her cries slowly diminishing into controlled sniffles. The 11 year old was filled to the brim with regret for letting his sister get hurt, all because he couldn't react quick enough. It was one of the times he wished he wasn't so much of a docile person and just lashed out when he got the chance. At least then he could've prevented this situation from happening, or at the most, he'd be the only one with injuries. Lincoln thought bitterly at how he let himself get pushed around so easily. The ashen-haired child knew those boys wanted to mess with him, and yet he didn't do anything until he was struggling to get a fat ass off his chest. If Ronalda were in his situation, she would've punched them out the moment she had the chance and settle it right then and there. But, Lincoln wasn't her...and that's one quality he came to admire from his former bully. That level of intimidation and knowing no one would dare think to cross you; it was something he could only dream of. Lincoln wasn't a violent person by nature, but after becoming an outcast a few times and being cowed by his sisters repeatedly...he envied Ronalda in that aspect.

Thinking back on the last encounter he had with his mud-loving sister, the boy recalled Lola's words. Glancing down, he rubbed Lana's head. From the sounds of it, she wasn't crying anymore.

"Lana..." The 6 year old looked up at him. "When Lola said you were having nightmares...were they true?"

The blonde nodded as she stared back at the lake. "...I started getting them the night you ran away...whenever I went to sleep, it kept taking me back to the time you were getting attacked at the tournament...I tried..." She sniffled. "I tried to run to help you...but no matter would I did, my body just wouldn't move...that reptile managed to get you out of the suit once it tore a hole big enough...you tried to run away b-but..." Fresh tears were coming up again. "It...it got you by the l-leg and...and..." Lana's voice died in that instant. It was too painful actually describe her dream.

Lincoln had a vivid idea of what she meant. He watched enough documentaries with Lana to understand the feeding habits of gators and crocodiles. He grimaced just imagining his leg being twisted out of the socket until it was torn off, then bleeding to death...he felt like a total asshole now for not caring at how his sister was feeling earlier.

"...I also told Lisa about it...and she said it was probably caused by the guilt I was feeling..."

"I'm sorry Lana..." Lincoln replied.

"Hmm?"

"...I'm sorry I that I didn't care about your feelings yesterday...had I actually known you were going through something like that, I wouldn't have been so callous...it's just that...after everything that's happened, I'm just being wary about letting you guys back into my heart...time and time again you guys say you'll change but I don't see it..." Lana became saddened at that aspect. "But...I have seen for the first time that both you and Lola are willing to change. I opened the box you guys left with me after some thinking, and I really liked the card you guys made. I can't believe you actually included pictures of when we were younger...you both were so cute back then...I mean, you still are, but even cuter." He wiped some mud off Lana's cheek.

Lana gave a small smile. "Thanks Lincoln...I was worried you'd throw it out before even taking the chance to look, but I'm glad you didn't...and, I know I said it before on the card...but I'm really sorry about calling you a good luck charm...I still feel so stupid for not caring that you could've...you know...and cared more about that stupid suit...I wish I could've been a better little sister before then...though I'm not sure if I can really show you how sorry I am aside from that card and pictures..."

"Lana, you just took on 5 older kids by yourself to save me from eating acorns. Even after everything that happened, you still found it in your heart to love me. Just like I did..."

The tomboy blinked twice. "Y-You have?"

Lincoln nodded. "When I saw you get flung down the hill like that...it was already bad enough that those boys were picking on me, but to do that to my sister?...I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do _something_...and I'm sorry I didn't react quick enough to prevent that from happening..."

"Well...you did get jumped on twice...but, what happened to those boys?"

He ruffled Lana's hair. "What any older brother should do. I made sure they wouldn't mess with you again. They can do whatever they want to me, but the second they laid a finger on my sister...let's just say they didn't like the results..." Lincoln parted Lana's hair a bit and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Thanks for the help though."

Lana blushed a little at the show of affection, but it was nice to see that Lincoln had fully forgiven her for her misdeeds. She then noticed her hat was actually flowing back towards them. The girl was confused, until she heard a croaking sound come from the object. Lifting it up, she saw her best friend, unharmed.

"Hops!" Lana grabbed her pet frog. The amphibian gave a worried croak. "Don't worry. Mama's ok. She had help from her brother." She smiled at Lincoln, who returned the gesture.

Up on the hill, Clyde was watching them silently, a warm smile plastered on his face. "Guess Lincoln forgave Lana after all." The nerdy child heard a series of groans behind him. Looking back, Chandler was still moaning in pain, his face swollen from the beating Lincoln handed him. Luke was starting to come to after having being forced headfirst into the dirt while Kevin rubbed his sore head. The other 2 boys were conscious the whole time, but weren't in any position to move.

"Man...remind me not to get on Larry's bad side..." Kevin said. He looked over at Chandler. "Geez! What happened to you?!"

"It's Lincoln." Clyde said harshly.

"What?" Kevin asked.

"His name, is Lincoln! And you guys should be lucky you got off easy. Unless you want to end up with something worse, I would highly suggest leaving..." The African American informed them.

"Oh, really?" Said the boy who got kicked in his ball, sitting up. "And why should we listen to you?"

"Do you want to find out what will happen if Lincoln sees you again?" Clyde smirked. "Do you really want to risk looking like _him_?" He gestured to the redhead again.

The other boys took a good, hard look at Chandler. He was still bleeding from his nose and mouth, and one of his eyes was swollen shut; and that's not taking into account the number of bruises on his head. The boy with the broken nose especially didn't want his face to get any worse. With grimaced looks, the boys scattered, with Kevin dragging Chandler away from the scene.

Clyde gave a small laugh. _"Lincoln may be calm now, but they don't need to know that._ " He thought. "Psychology, you haven't failed me yet!"

"What about psychology?" Lincoln asked as he walked up to Clyde. His hands were wrapped around Lana's feet as she sat on his shoulders.

"Nothing."

"What happened to those bullies?" Lana asked.

"I told them to leave unless they wanted Lincoln to make them look like Chandler."

"Hah." Lincoln chuckled.

"What did you do to Chandler?" The tomboy asked.

"You...probably don't wanna know...come on, let's get out of here."

* * *

The trio ventured out of the park and back to their neighborhood. Clyde disappeared in the direction of his house as his dads needed him home for something. Lincoln carried Lana on his back during the entire trip, both of them making small talk about the good times they had with each other. One notable memory was when the two had smuggled a bunch of frogs out of the school and a second was the time the two went the Dairy land. Lincoln even laughed at the time Lana accidentally puked into his mouth. The mud lover apologized for that incident since Lincoln had practically used an entire bottle of mouth wash to get rid of the foul taste, but he just laughed it off.

Lana was glad that she was back in her brother's good graces again. She had a list of ideas they could do to make up for the time spent apart, but she was quickly reminded of the situation when Lincoln stopped just a few houses down. "Sorry Lana, but this is where we part. I don't want the others to see me..."

Lana frowned. "...Will we see each other again?..."

"Well, maybe if you can catch me while I'm out, but I haven't exactly forgiven the rest of our family yet. But I have definitely forgiven you...and while she wasn't with us, it was nice to see Lola actually standing up for you, and considering that she learned her lesson...I'll forgive her too. I'm also doing it so you two don't fight over me. I think it's nice that you both are starting to get along now, in your own way, but I want you both to try to avoid fighting each other...I'm not there to keep you both in check, and I'm not sure if the others are doing anything about it...so can you promise me that you and Lola will stop fighting?"

Lana nodded. "Anything for you Linky. Oh, and before you leave." She pecked him on the cheek. "Thanks for getting those bullies back for me."

Lincoln gave a warm smile as his sister climbed off. "Sure thing sis. Oh, one more thing...since Lily is a baby, I can't really blame her for anything, so she's good too. Don't know if I needed to say it, but it's just incase."

"Ok...bye Lincoln." Lana hugged him, her brother returning the gesture immediately.

Lana watched as her brother walked down the street and disappeared around a corner. She wished for his return, but that would only happen once he was on good terms with half, or probably most of the family. Looking at her reflection on a mailbox, the bruises she received were still evident. Lana considered whether she should tell the truth or fabricate a lie. Then again, what did she have to hide? Lincoln didn't say she shouldn't tell them what happened. After all, it could give the family some hope that Lincoln would be willing to forgive them, especially since he technically made up with 3 sisters now, even if it wasn't in person.

The handywoman walked down the street and up to the front door. She breathed a heavy sigh to prepare herself the barrage of questions that were sure to occur. Opening the door, she saw Lori on the couch, fiddling with her phone. She managed to get it working again but had slight trouble with a few functions. Luna and Lynn sat on the couch with a bored expression, watching a rerun of Dream Boat. Lana then spotted her twin coming down the stairs, apparently having heard the door open.

"Hey Lana, how'd-" Lola paused when she noticed the other girl's injuries.

"Uh...hey?..." Lana smiled nervously.

"What happened to you?! You said you'd just go out and play with your pet frog!" Lola yelled, catching the attention of the others. Within an instant, Lana was pelted with a mob of questions from her sisters. This got the attention of the rest of the house, any of the girls who were upstairs coming down or peeking down the stairwell. The tomboy tried to get a word in, but instead found herself growing irritated when they wouldn't listen.

"Girls! What's going on?" Rita asked as herself and Leni came from the garage, both covering in small wood shavings. The fashionista needed help belt sanding the wooden furniture she was making, so her mother was showing her how to work it. The matriarch glanced at Lana and let out a gasp. "Sweetie! What happened?! Who did this to you?!" She knelt down to inspect the 6 year old's injuries.

"I was at the park playing with Hops at the pond, but then I heard someone yelling. I went to check it out, and I saw Lincoln. He-"

"Wait. _Lincoln_ did this to you?!" Leni asked, wide eyed.

The oldest of the twins grew rightfully offended at that remark. "No Leni. You didn't let me finish! He was being bullied by these kids from school. One of them was named Chandler I think, and they were holding him down to try and force feed him acorns." The family grimaced at this, now fully aware of how they affected Lincoln's social standing by making him wear that suit. "But I wasn't gonna let them do that to him, so I started throwing mud pies at 'em. I got them away from Lincoln...but then they...grabbed my overalls and flung me down a hill to the lake..." Lana dug her hands into her pockets. "...I started to cry and those boys were laughing at me...but then I heard more screaming but wasn't paying attention. Next thing I knew, Lincoln sat down next to me and hugged me. He had some bruises on his face, but he told me that he made sure those bullies weren't going to mess with me again."

The family stared at her for a second, wondering if this information was true. "How many of these assailants were there?" Lisa asked.

"Five."

"...No offense Lana, but just because Lincoln managed to fight Lynn to a stand still, I don't think he could seriously kick the butts of 5 boys by himself." Lola pointed out. "I mean, chances are he probably whipped a couple of them and the others ran off."

While the others were sharing similar thoughts, Lori's phone vibrated at that moment. She looked at it and saw it was a text from her friend Becky. Her curiosity grew as she didn't expect the redhead to message her.

 _Like, OMG! Look at this video! It's about your brother! It's just, OMG!_

Below the text was a link to EyeTube. Lori tapped, and thankfully she could still play videos on her phone. The video was titled, _BULLIES GET DOUBLE KARMA'D_. The teen was confused as to what she was looking at, until it started playing.

"Guys! Look at this!" Lori said, showing the video to them. The video was a recording from someone who had clear view of the incident at the park, just several feet away. The beginning showed 5 boys along with Lincoln and Clyde being restrained, Clyde being held back and Lincoln being pinned to the ground as someone was trying to feed him acorns. The dialogue was very clear as well. The whole family watched in anticipation as one of the boys held Lincoln's mouth open and the other was about to dump a load on acorns on him. However, they then heard Lana yelling off-camera before the boys holding Lincoln down were hit with mud. The camera swiveled over to Lana, who was throwing the soil.

"Wow, that's one brave girl." A unfamiliar voice said.

They watched as the boys left Lincoln and Clyde to go deal with her. The family (minus Lana) watched in shock as the boys caught up to her and used her like a slingshot, just like she said. Lana flew out of view down a hill while the camera guy kept filming. The second they heard one of them laugh at the fact Lana was crying, the girls grew angry.

"Why those snot-nosed little-" Luna started.

"Shh!" Lana interrupted.

"Man that was harsh...I'd go hit them myself, but I might go to jail..." The cameraman bemused.

Then, everyone heard a loud snapping sound and Lincoln yelling Chandler's name. Panning back over, they saw a _very much_ enraged Lincoln dragged a branch roughly twice his length behind him. The family was taken aback by this, as that was the same look he had before Lincoln and Lynn started fighting.

"Oh (bleep). Someone's pissed." The guy said in controlled laughs.

The next thing everyone saw was Lincoln literally taking on the 5 boys on his own, using the branch as a weapon before it finally broke to pieces. He then starting fighting the red hooded boy while Chandler was moving to flank, only to be attacked by Clyde. The entire time the camera guy was stifling his laughter. He was able to capture both fights in the same shot after he zoomed out a bit. Then, everyone saw Lincoln literally suplex the boy he was fighting, knocking him out.

"Wow...I guess Lincoln literally learned a thing or two from you Lynn." Lori commented.

"Yeah...I guess he did..." Lynn said, still processing what she just saw. The foreign sensation of pride cropped into her heart, something she thought she wouldn't feel until their family was back together. While Lynn was still regretful at using Lincoln as a sparring partner, it was good to know that he actually took some of her moves to heart.

Then, while Clyde was busy with Chandler, the camera saw Lincoln come up from the side and tackle the boy to the ground. Chandler mentioned the whole thing being a prank, which just made Lincoln angrier and the white-haired child started wailing on him. Clyde stood a few feet away watching the whole thing. The family started to wince because they could clearly hear the blows the phone picked up. Lynn herself even started sweating bullets. If she wasn't good at hand to hand combat, the same thing could've happened to her. She really should've known better than to underestimate her brother, especially when he's angry...after a few moments, Chandler was heard begging for mercy.

"What is my name Chandler?..." Another punch was heard. "WHAT IS MY NAME?! AND CALL ME 'LARRY' ONE MORE TIME! I (BLEEP) DARE YOU!"

Chandler blurted out Lincoln's name before Lincoln released him. "You can pick on me all you want...but if you, or your friends, go _anywhere_ near my sisters or mess with my friends again...you better _pray_ , that I don't find you..." The boy then got off the redhead and walked a short distance away. He seemed to have calmed down given by his stance, as Clyde cautiously approached him. The two said a few words the phone couldn't pick up before Lincoln disappeared from view as he walked down the hill that Lana was flung. Clyde silently followed behind his friend, only stopping at the top of the hill.

"Ok that makes a lot of sense. That was his sister. Well, guess they won't be messing with him again." The camera zoomed in on Chandler's beaten face. The man whistled. "He got wrecked, big time." With that, the video ended.

"Ooookay...nevermind..." Lola corrected herself.

"Geez. Bro really did a number on them, and it was for Lana's sake too." Luna added.

"Well, I _bully-eve_ they won't bother her again." Luan quipped, giggling at her joke. Naturally, everyone else rolled their eyes.

"Wait...when he threatened Chandler, he gave a threat that encompassed all of us. I thought he despised our existence..." Lucy pointed out.

"Well, I see that's it's clear that while Lincoln does still hold ill-will towards us, he clearly doesn't want us hurt, especially at the hands of imbecilic barbarians. It could be the same reason as to why he hasn't brought the attention of local law enforcement." Lisa theorized.

"...Girls..." The children turned to their mother. "I'll admit that while there are times you all drive me and your father up the wall, no matter how angry we get, we will always love you and do what's best for you when you feel the opposite...I just wish I could say the same for your brother...if anything, the only thing me and your father have done was show him that we didn't support him as much as we did for you all..."

"But, he might find it in his heart to forgive you mom. He told me himself that despite what happened, including at that tournament, he still loved me...he also said he was willing to forgive Lola," this surprised the princess, "so long as we don't fight anymore."

"Lana, I promise we won't fight anymore, but...I'm...not too certain about Lincoln actually forgiving me..."

Lola stared at the floor with uncertainty. She should be happy that Lincoln was willing to look past her discrepancies and love her again, but the princess didn't actually _feel_ that she should be forgiven so soon. Lola still felt she owed Lincoln a bigger apology, even if the card and photos gift the twins worked on seemed to put them in good graces. This was also in part because Lola still felt guilty about making Lincoln and her sisters suffer temporary hearing loss due to them not informing Lisa that they were pranking him. She could agree with her brother that the prank itself was rather...disproportionate to the fact he just wanted to read his comics without being bothered. Lola also made a note to get a better lock for Lincoln's door since the previous one was broken.

Lana didn't know what to tell her sister, but she didn't think she could change her mind. "Well, if you want to do anything, I can help. I'll even do that pageant idea you had, even though I said I wouldn't."

"Thanks..."

"While I understand the circumstances Lana did would convince Lincoln to forgive her, something tells me there's some hidden information regarding the situation. Did you two pass an offering to Lincoln?" Lisa asked.

"When we ran into him yesterday, we gave him a present. We made a card and included some of our baby photos in it." Lola admitted.

"So that's why I thought a few pictures were missing." Rita stated.

"Sorry mom..." The twins said at the same time.

"No no, you don't have to apologize. What you both did was very sweet." The mother smiled. "Though I wish our situation with Lincoln wasn't that complicated..."

"Don't worry mom, I'm sure Lincoln will totes like to remember the times you babied him." Leni suggested.

"Possibly, but it goes deeper than that sweetie...since you girls are his sisters, this wouldn't affect you that much, but as a parent?...how would you show that you really care for someone who you've raised since he was born only to wind up trying to phase him out of your life? At _11 years_ no less..." Rita sat down on the couch. "What me and Lynn did was that we essentially tried to _abandon_ our child...we didn't even realize what we were doing until it literally smacked us in the face...we even tried to sell his furniture on some silly notion...I still don't know what we were _thinking_ when we locked him out that night, but to know that my baby was feeling like a complete outcast in his family and we didn't even pay heed to this...it really makes me wonder if I was even fit to raise children..."

"But mom...you didn't go wrong with us. We know we're not angels, but we at least try to be the best kids you could have." Lori told her, trying to give her mother some encouragement.

"Thanks Lori, but at this point...I'm not so sure..." There were many instances where the parents really ought to have put their foot down when the kids got out of control, so it was hard for her to find some confidence. She was pretty sure that Lincoln probably didn't know what to think about his parents, other than the fact they lied to his face a number of times on important issues. Didn't help that they just took their daughters words as face value and not have Lincoln prove to them that he was 'bad luck.' However, since Lincoln had forgave the twins, he has calmed down at least. Maybe after some time had passed, she and Lynn could ask their son if he wanted to spend some time with them. It would be a pretty awkward affair, but it would give them the chance to tell their son how much he means to them. It would be up for Lincoln to decide if he wanted to be within spitting distance though...

* * *

Lincoln had a calm smile on his face as he continued walking back to the Santiagos' house. He felt, elated, so to speak. After having spent the last day or so arguing with himself on whether or not to forgive a few of his sisters, it felt like a heavy weight came off his chest when he told Lana that he still loved her. He knew she'd be upset when he still refused to come back home, but at least she smiled at the prospect of seeing him again, this time without any bullies or unwanted tension. The boy didn't regret his decision, as he reaffirmed the love he had for a few of his siblings.

The rest were a different matter altogether, as they still needed to work on regaining Lincoln's trust. He could have told Lana that he'd be willing to forgive Leni due to her being not too bright on most things, but even so, she was 16 years old and not a baby like Lily. However, he didn't know that his fashionista of a sister had a big gift planned for him. She just needed time to finish it.

Lincoln walked up to an intersection and waited for the right time to walk across. There weren't many cars traveling around, but you could never be too careful, especially with the crazy drivers in this town. He clenched and unclenched his right hand a few times, shaking it even. It had been flaring up in pain since that brawl, and even the scars had been torn slightly, no doubt from dislodging a few of Chandler's teeth. Hopefully, it was nothing an ice pack wouldn't fix. Tapping his foot to pass the time, he heard another set of feet coming up behind him. The boy didn't pay much attention to this, until a hand rest calmly on his head. Tensing up at the act, Lincoln turned his head, meeting a very familiar face.

"Pop-Pop?!"

"I knew I'd find my look-alike out here somewhere." The elder man smiled.

Lincoln hugged his grandfather. "I thought you were still at the retirement home."

"Well, even I need to get away from the crazy rules Sue makes from time to time."

"Yeah...she's the worst."

"So, how's my favorite grandson doing?"

"Uh..." Lincoln wasn't sure if he should let his grandfather know what happened lately. "Okay, I guess? It's a bit complicated..." He scratched his head.

"Mhm. If I had to guess, it's because of the whole 'separation trial' you're goin' through?"

Lincoln's eyes became the size of dinner plates. "H-How did you...?"

"Your mother called and told me everything. It wasn't easy hearin' it to be honest..."

"Oh..." The boy frowned. He gave his granddad a suspicious look. "...You're not here to convince me to come home, are you?..."

Albert shook his head. "Nah. I couldn't drag you back even if I wanted to. It wouldn't do you any good, and it wouldn't be good for your family if your terms are still hangin' up there."

"Right..." Lincoln looked at the ground.

"So, how are you really feelin'?"

"Well...I forgave Lana and Lola for everything that happened...they sent me a gift that had a card and some old photos of us. And recently, I helped Lana out with some bullies...I feel like I can start loving some of my sisters again, even if it's only a few...I'm still on the fence about Leni because, I know she's not that smart, but she should at least know better since she's 16...but on the other hand, she probably wouldn't...my brain feels like a minefield thinking about it..." Lincoln furrowed his brows. "But I am certain that I won't be forgiving the rest of my sisters for a while, unless they can show me that they do care..."

"I see...what about your parents?"

Lincoln said nothing, shifting uncomfortably on the spot.

Albert bit his lip. "Not an easy subject, am I right?" The boy nodded. "Yeah, I hear ya..." He knelt down to Lincoln's level. "When Rita first talked with me about it, she was utterly devastated at what happened. Even I couldn't believe she and Lynn did such a horrible thing. Parents will make mistakes with their kids, but one of the things you hope they would never do, is that they make a mistake that could cost them their child's love and affection. I _know_ that I raised my daughter to not act that way, so you can picture how disappointed I was when I talked with her..."

"...I'm still very upset with _both_ my parents after all of this...the only thing I learned is that they're so ready to take my sisters' side, even when I tell the truth...my sisters can be just as bad when they're together, but do mom and dad do much to stop them? Sometimes...but not when it _really_ matters...me on the other hand? Got grounded by mom because the girls got us banned from the store and didn't fess up to it, and even if they got me a cereal I was hoping to get, the fact they didn't own up to their mistake made me mad for a few days...then there's the whole clogged toilet incident. I may have clogged the can a few times myself, but the one time I _didn't,_ I had to take the fall for Lucy because she couldn't handle getting teased...I told her myself had I known this current situation would've happened, I would've let her take the blame like she should have...then there was the whole issue with the sweet spot, the time they got us banned from the community pools, the time they ganged up on me when I found a quarter in the sofa...it was even worse when my parents just hid in their room like cowards thanks to that stupid 'Sister Fight Protocol'..."

"Yeah, I was rather disappointed Lynn and Rita didn't come out and discipline their girls like they should have. But where are you going with this Lincoln?"

"...Point is, when bad stuff starts to happen, if it wasn't my fault from the start, I somehow get roped into it or get singled out as everything being _my_ fault...both my parents seem to be more lenient on my sisters most of the time but not with me. Even Luan rarely gets punished for pulling pranks on us unless it's after April Fools day. Sometimes I wonder what it would've been like to be a girl...maybe it wouldn't have been as bad because I would've fit in more with my sisters and my parents wouldn't find it that I need to be the one to take the most responsibility..." Lincoln folded his arms. "I always told myself it's not so bad being the only boy in the family, but...I just got tired of being used as a scapegoat and taken advantage of...it probably sounds hypocritical of me since I've done the same to my sisters, but there's a reason why I need to stay one step ahead of them most of the time...what happened recently also showed me that my family didn't care about me as much as I would've thought, and it pushed me over the edge..."

"But, you still found it in your heart to forgive the twins, didn't you?" Albert smirked.

"Yeah..."

"And you're still thinking about forgiving one of your other sisters right?"

"Yeah?"

"So, do you think in time, you'll find it in your heart to forgive your parents? They both realized how badly they messed up and do wish to make it up to you. They're also aware that they've badly strained the relationship they had with you because of their mistakes. As for your other sisters, they're working hard to regain the love you've lost for them. I know you can't see it since you aren't there, but I thought it'd be good for you to know."

"...I guess I can believe you Pop-Pop...I don't really trust the words of my sisters that much anymore, but I do trust Lana now...and as for mom and dad...I probably _can_ forgive them at some point, but...not right now..."

"It's no rush son. Just take some time to think about it. Your parents still love you, that's what matters. I'm not sure how they'll regain your trust, and I can't help them on that matter, cause that's something they need to figure out on their own..."

Lincoln nodded.

"I'm gonna head back now, gettin' kinda late." Albert ruffled Lincoln's hair. "Nice talkin' to ya son."

The boy hugged his grandfather. "Thanks Pop-Pop."

Albert started walking in the opposite direction. "Oh, and before I forget, try not to beat up people too often." He laughed.

"Ok-wait...what?" Lincoln became confused at that last statement. Beat people up? What was that supposed to mean? It wasn't like he was there at the park...or was he?

* * *

Back at the Santiago abode, Ronalda was busy binge watching videos on EyeTube. Some were a few episodes on shows and others were funny videos. At the moment, she was watching some police chase videos, some of which were about idiot drivers getting instant karma. As in, they did a wrong move right in front of a police cruiser. She busted a gut a few times, especially when someone ran a red light as a busy intersection and thought they wouldn't get caught. Technically speaking, red light cameras would've got them, but it's sweeter when the police are on the scene immediately. As the tomboy scrolled down the list to pick another video, she saw a recommended video about bullies getting their own dose of karma. What stood out was that the people in the thumbnail looked oddly familiar...

She clicked on the video and waited for it to play. When it did, Ronalda went wide-eyed at what she was seeing...

After about another 15 minutes, Lincoln finally made it back to the house. He knocked on the door, to which Mr. Santiago opened. "Ey Lincoln." He noted the bruises on his face. "Looks like you've been busy today huh?" The father chuckled.

"Yeah...you could say that." Lincoln said as he stepped inside.

"Ain't no shame in being in a fight hijo. I remember this time back in high school when I had my eyes on Maria. Unfortunately, she was with this cabron who was actually seeing another lady behind her back. Man, I strung him up so bad when I found out, he needed stitches for his jaw!" The man laughed, though Lincoln was feeling a little uncomfortable.

The boy gave a nervous laugh in response.

"Maria hated me for like, a few days before she realized what I did." Marcus finished.

"I didn't _hate_ you Marcus, I was just disappointed." Maria corrected.

"Naw, you so hated me. I still have that handprint when you slapped me for beating up your ex." The father teased, pointing to the faded handprint that was under his beard.

"I still apologized for that!"

"In more ways than one~"

Ronalda cringed, wondering what she walked into. Lincoln spotted her and greeted the tomboy. "Hey Ronnie Anne. How've you been?"

"Uh...ok I guess?" Her tone indicated otherwise.

"You sure? Something bothering you?"

"Uh..." Ronalda wasn't sure how to talk with Lincoln about what was on her mind, but she sure didn't want to discuss it with her parents in earshot. "Look, I'll tell you later ok? Just...don't worry about it..." She walked to the kitchen.

Lincoln was left confused at this notion. "...Ok then?..."

As the day progressed into the evening hours, Ronalda had been rather...quiet as of late. She put up the façade that she was fine, but Lincoln knew that she wasn't. Around dinner time, he noticed her staring awkwardly at him a few times, only to quickly look away when he looked in her direction. After dinner his bruises were treated, and he got some ice for his hand when the pain became unbearable again, but the awkwardness didn't stop there. It got even weirder when she seemed to start avoiding him the past few hours before she went to bed. She never did tell him what was bothering her. It was very uncharacteristic of Ronalda to suddenly act, shy? Or timid? Lincoln couldn't think of the right word to describe her. Ronalda and 'shy' just didn't sound right in the same sentence. As he lied there on the couch in the darkened room, it was bugging him to no end that she wouldn't open up to him. Then again...Lincoln did the same thing to her on his first night here. Maybe he just needed to coax her into talking. Hopefully she wouldn't be too defensive about it. He had enough bruises already...

Getting up, Lincoln tip-toed down the hall to her room. There was a blue light emitting from under the door, which meant she was probably still awake. Lightly rapping the door, "Ronnie Anne?" He whispered.

Not getting a response, he cautiously peeked his head through the door. Lincoln saw the Hispanic girl sitting on her bed, watching something on her laptop. She was already in her PJs, her hair flowing freely as it was no longer held together in a ponytail. The tough girl looked up once to take note of his presence, before going back to her previous task. The boy took this as his cue to enter, lightly closing the door. Looking around the room, Ronnie Anne's room had contained mostly boyish stuff, with a few feminine qualities thrown in. If he had to relate it to his sisters' rooms, it looked like a cross between Lynn and Luna's room. There were a few sporting good scattered about, skateboards, skates, a few posters, and...Lincoln blinked when he saw something that looked affiliated to Princess Pony.

Shaking his head, he walked over to the bed side. "So, what are you looking at?..."

The girl simply turned the computer enough so he'd see the video. It was the very same video his family saw earlier about the whole incident at the park. The expression on Lincoln's face was priceless. "Someone recorded that?!" He yelled out.

Ronalda quickly slapped a hand over his mouth. "Dang it Lame-O! You want the whole house to hear you?!" She whispered harshly.

"S-Sorry...I just didn't think that someone took photos..."

"Well, you fought in the middle of a public place. How did you not think no one would notice? Especially the way you were yelling?"

"Look, I was just mad ok?...I g-got so upset at what they did to Lana...I went ballistic..."

"Not that it was a bad thing...look at the comments." Ronalda pointed to the bottom of the video. Most of them ranged from shock to awe. Some made it clear they recognized who the boys were, some applauding Lincoln for his actions while others berated Chandler and his cronies. Some even felt it was nice that Lana came rescued him, though a few mocked Lincoln for needing a little girl to save his hide. Lincoln groaned in annoyance, but this didn't answer the question he had on his mind.

"Ok...so someone recorded it...but why were you being upset about it?"

Ronnie Anne gave a defiant glare before looking away. "I don't wanna talk about it..."

"Ronalda..." He sat on the bed. "I know you have a hard time expressing yourself...I originally thought you had nothing but a tough exterior, but over the last two days you've showed that there's a caring person under all of that hostility...you helped me when I wasn't in the mood to talk, so now I want to help you...you said you'd tell me what was bothering you, but you've been avoiding me since...I want to help you Ronalda, I really do. And I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on..." Lincoln stated firmly.

The tomboy gave Lincoln a hard glare. The boy's face was indifferent, like he was patiently waiting with his arms folded. Thoughts of pushing Lincoln out of the room forcefully, or at worst, throwing him out the window, crept into the girl's mind. But this would only exacerbate the problem...and Ronalda knew that such actions would only prove how much of a coward she's being for hiding from her own feelings.

Giving a heavy sigh, she relented. "...After watching that video...I thought back to the time I used to bully you to get you to notice me...while your sisters were right that I _did_ like you, I couldn't help but think...what would happen if I did get you to notice me, but not in the way it turned out?...after seeing you beat the crap out of not only Chandler, but _four_ other boys, I...I started getting scared ok?...I thought, what if one day, things were still the way they were before we starting doing this whole 'date in secret' thing...what if I pushed your buttons too hard one day?..." Ronalda looked away from him and back at the video. "I felt...that...that could've been me on the ground with a bloodied face and broken teeth...I know you said you had a pretty bad fight with Lynn, but what you did you Chandler, and after seeing you _that_ angry...I felt really bad about all those pranks and jokes I did to you at your expense...even the ones I did to keep up appearances...I've been such a jerk to you, I wondered how can you even look at me on a daily basis?..."

Small tears started to form in her eyes. Lincoln felt a little bad about forcing Ronalda to confront her feelings, but at least he knew the truth. She felt immense guilt from bullying him, especially after seeing what he did earlier today. Now, Lincoln would never even _think_ about harming Ronalda at any point, but it wasn't hard to see that possibility if they weren't together...

Looking at the video, Lincoln played through it a bit, pausing at where whoever was filming got a good look at of enraged face. The boy bit his lip as he looked at himself. He wasn't aware of what he looked like when he was angry, but he couldn't help but cringe in disgust a little. Not that his anger wasn't justified, but he could see why Ronalda would be nervous around him. He looked like a raging bull. Looking back at her, she was clearly struggling to keep herself from crying.

Lincoln brought a finger to her face and wiped away her tears. "Ronalda...trust me when I say this now...I will _never_ lay a finger on you in aggression as long as I live...I can't imagine hitting you in anger or anything, especially now...could what you said happen if we weren't together? Probably...but that doesn't matter now. What matters, is that I've come to appreciate you for who you are, even if it started awkwardly...I don't like it when I get mad like that, but the two times I did...I just forced on the spot. I didn't beat on Lynn as bad as I did with Chandler...in her case, she knew how to fight, and I just wanted to hurt her because she didn't realize how bad she's hurt me..." He furrowed his brow. "In Chandler's case...I felt like I wanted to _destroy_ him, and if he knows what's good for him, he'll stay the hell away from me, my friends, and my sisters...I've been envious of you on that end Ronnie Anne...the fact no one would ever think to mess with you or face your wrath...that's only something I could dream about...you've seen how easily I've been targeted in school, and sometimes, I wish I was more _like_ you..." He looked back at her. "But I could never bring myself to hurt you Ronalda, even after all those pranks...I...I love you too much to even think about that...but if I ever do...you can wail on me all you like..."

The Hispanic girl was left blushing at that statement. _"He...loves me?..."_ That one sentence rang in her mind repeatedly. Lincoln seemed to have similar thoughts, as his cheeks were noticeably red too. When watching the video, she wasn't just worried about potentially facing Lincoln's rage, but she was very impressed that he actually had some fighting skills. To take on five kids at once isn't easy, but he managed it without getting hurt too much. The girl found herself blushing further as she found the act oddily...appealing...a certain warmness filled her chest as she found herself fantasizing about Lincoln defending her from people that were giving her issues.

Lincoln saw the blush on Ronalda's face as she shifted in her spot. "Um...Ronnie Anne?..." He watched as the girl shut her eyes tight, as if she was thinking about something. When she opened them, she had this look of determination as the tomboy grabbed both sides of Lincoln's head, making him worried and confused. The next thing he knew, her lips were firmly planted on his in a forced kiss. Lincoln was frozen on the spot as Ronalda held the position for ten seconds before pulling away. The boy was struck stupid as his mind was trying to process what happened. Ronalda gave him a look, wondering how he felt about it.

The boy finally gave a goofy smile as his brain returned to normal function. "I-I d-didn't expect t-that..."

"...H-How was it?"

Lincoln racked his brain to think of a proper response. If he said the wrong thing, chances were he'd end up on the floor unconscious. "A-A bit f-forced, not that it was bad or anything...but it was amazing..." He blushed harder.

"S-Sorry if it was t-too sudden." Ronalda stated, her hands suddenly looking interesting. She saw Lincoln's hands grab her own.

"Don't be." He smiled.

"...Wanna try it again?..." She asked. Her response was Lincoln brushing part of her hair past her ear. He would admit this, she looked cuter with her hair down.

The two closed the distance again, this time slower and filled with compassion. This would be the 4th time they actually kissed each other, as such actions were few and far between. Being kids, they had a difficult time understanding the definition of their relationship. They have been considering each other boyfriend/girlfriend, but aside from random trips to the arcade or small walks, they never did much else outside of that. They never even went on an actual date before. While they were still taking it slow (as in no tongue), the two children were sure of one thing: they had a better understanding of their relationship, and it was very well possible they may start to feel comfortable showing affection in public.

 **A/N: I could've stopped this chapter numerous times before, but didn't because I felt it wouldn't have been enough. Everyone has been taken by surprise at Lincoln's actions earlier that day, and I believe it's very clear to everyone, that there's a side of him no one knew about previously. I wonder how this will affect his social status at school. Will he be labeled as a potential bully, a cool guy, a hero, or perhaps all of the above? Or will people be a little nervous around him to avoid setting him off? We'll see.**


	12. Social Changes

**A/N: Hope you guys aren't too sour about the author's note I left before this chapter. If you are, get over it. I just didn't want my inbox being spammed with reviews that argued about Ronalda's character. If you don't like Ronalda and Lincoln are an item in this story, then get over yourself, cause nothing anyone says will change that. It's already been shown in the canon series that despite the move, Lincoln still likes her.**

 **With that said, let's look at how Lincoln's life will change now that everyone may have seen the video at the park. We will also get a look at a few outcomes of what may happen due to that video being out, more specifically, how a certain someone feels after being thrashed into the ground.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Mondays...the one day of the week everyone loves to hate and dread. The one day that signaled the start of a potentially long and stressful work week, and in the case of school, boring classes in the span of 8 hours for the next 5 days until it was all over on Friday. But for a small group of kids, Monday was going to be anything _but_ boring. After having a short kissing session the pervious night, Lincoln and Ronalda wound up snuggling in each other's embrace as slept overcame them. Sunlight started to pierce through the blinds of the Hispanic girl's room, shining right into Lincoln's eyes. He grumbled a little as his brain started the process of waking up the rest of his body. Taking one of his hands, he wiped the dead skin away from his eyes before shielding them a little from the little sunlight that crept through the window. Shifting a bit, he noticed he couldn't move his right arm as freely, and a single glance to his right was all it took to remind him of last night.

Ronalda's face was emotionless she continued to sleep soundly. Him attempting to move his arm didn't seem to jar her from her slumber, as the only thing she did was roll onto her left side. The way she seemed so at peace and how her hair laid delicately on her shoulders made the boy's heart flutter. However, alarms were starting to ring in his head as he looked at the clock. It already past 7, and both of them should've been up by now. As such, there was a high chance that someone was going to question where he was, and tell Ronalda to wake up. But, the main problem that was preventing him from trying to sneak out of the room...was that he wanted to be next to his girlfriend when she awoke.

And yet, the universe had its ways of keeping that dream from happening. A knock on the door drew Lincoln's attention, as well as bringing the tomboy from unconsciousness.

"Ronalda, you better be awake in there! It's almost time for school!" Maria yelled.

Ronalda rubbed the sleep from her eyes before grasping the fact that Lincoln was still in her room. To make it worse, the knob was turning.

 _"Oh crap oh crap, oh CRAP!"_ Both kids said internally. Before Maria could fully see into her daughter's room, Ronnie Anne grabbed Lincoln and flung him to the side of the bed facing the wall, making a loud thump in the process.

Maria poked her head in. "What was that?"

"Uh, I accidentally dropped one of my shoes?" Ronnie Anne replied with a nervous smile, picking up one of her black sandles.

"Well, at least you're awake. Have you seen Lincoln?"

"Oh, he's in the...bathroom! Yeah, the bathroom!"

"You sure? I didn't hear any running water in there."

"Yeah he's there." Ronalda said quickly, hoping her mother would buy into the fib.

Maria gauged her daughter's face intensely, wondering if she was hiding something. After a few tense moments, she shrugged. "Ok." Ronalda gave a low sigh. "But I'm going to check on him."

The 11 year olds' eyes became the size of dinner plates. "Dang it!" They both whispered.

Lincoln looked up at the ceiling, noticing a vent grate. He could still fit in the vents of his, technically, old home with little difficulty, but then again, the vents at the Loud house were abnormally large. The Santiago vents on the other hand, looked smaller and slimmer. He could still fit, but it'd be uncomfortable. "Give me a boost!"

"What?"

"Just help me into the vent!"

Ronalda looked up before Lincoln grabbed her shoulders as she pushed him up to the vent. She didn't think he'd be able to fit in there, but apparently the vents in the house were larger than she originally thought. Lincoln made a series of dents and thumps as he crawled through the ventilation.

In the hall, Maria was about to knock on the door when she heard the noises. The mother groaned in annoyance. "Marcus! We got rats again!" An irate growl came from the master bedroom in response.

"Mom! I can't find my pizza delivery shirt!" Bobby called out.

"It's still in the wash Roberto. It'll be clean by the time you get back." A loud thump was heard in the bathroom. _"What the hell?"_ The nurse asked in her native tongue. She rapped on the door a bit harder than she intended. "Lincoln? You ok?"

"Y-Yeah I'm fine, just slipped on the rug!" The chip-toothed male replied. He actually fell from the vent, and was thankful the rug somewhat cushioned an otherwise harsh impact with the tile.

Crawling through the vents, he accumulated a lot of dust, prompting him to run the shower. As Lincoln washed himself clean, he couldn't help but fidget a bit every so often, a knot turning in his stomach. It wasn't from the fact he and Ronnie Anne had almost been caught in bed with each other, but for the day that lied ahead of him. If he remembered the comments from the video correctly, some of them indicated that they knew _everyone_ in the video. Lincoln thought of his best friend, who jumped in at the last moment to prevent him from being overwhelmed. The ashen-haired boy was willing to bet his entire Ace Savvy collection that Clyde's dads were less than pleased that their boy had gotten into a scuffle, even more enforced by the fact Clyde hadn't contacted him at all since they parted ways. He was sure that they'd meet at school, or at least on their way towards it. Turning the knob of the tub faucet, he ended his shower and started preparing himself for what was looking to be a particularly interesting Monday, as best as he could...

* * *

Instead of doing their skateboard/skating duo stunt like they did last time, the young couple opted to walk to school this time around. Plus, Lincoln didn't want to lose his breakfast again. They met Clyde just a short distance away from his house, the trio walking together to the place they deemed torturous and a prison of boredom. Yet, the mood between each of them wasn't full of dread, but anticipation.

"So what do you guys think's gonna happen?" Lincoln asked.

"Huh?" Ronalda replied.

"At school. I think it's safe to say at this point everyone saw that video."

"I'm surprised it wasn't on the news this morning." Clyde responded.

"Speaking of which, anything happen after you got home last night?" Lincoln asked.

"Yeah...meant to call you, but I had gotten a stern lecture from my dads about getting into that fight..." Clyde frowned at the ground. "But they were proud of me for looking out for you."

"I said this yesterday and I'll say it again: you're a true friend Clyde..." Lincoln wrapped his hand on Clyde's shoulder.

"Aw thanks buddy!"

Ronalda made a gagging notion. "Ugh. Don't get soft on me Lame-Os." She held a hand up, making the boys flinch. She smirked and dabbed both lightly on the shoulder. "Two for flinching. And to answer your question Lincoln, you'll probably be treated the same way I was when I first became the school's tough girl."

"You mean the time you..." Clyde asked.

"Sent two girls to the school nurse because they kept picking on me back in 4th grade? Yeah. Got grounded for a few days, but it was worth it."

"Wait...I thought those girls got sent to the hospital." Lincoln stated.

"One did because they had to pop her shoulder back in place. The other got away with just a few teeth missing. Since then, everyone learned to fear me and _no one_ ever dared to cross me, unless they wanted to meet Mr. Fist, and his wife, Knuckle Sandwich. Speaking of which...I wonder how Chandler likes having his mouth wired shut." Ronalda gave a small chuckle.

"I don't think I hit him _that_ hard..."

"Lincoln...his face was swollen, he had a black eye, and I think I saw a few of his teeth on the ground..." Clyde pointed out.

"...Ok I guess it is that bad. But...I don't want people seeing like _that._ I even cringed when I saw my own face while I was angry...it was just a fit a rage, and I don't want to be seen as some...some brute."

"You might anyways, but you're _my_ brute." Ronalda smiled, making Lincoln's cheeks flush red.

"On the bright side, some may even _thank_ you for doing it. Some of the commenters had practically _woshipped_ you." The nerdy child added.

"Don't forget yourself Clyde. You had enough guts to take on Chandler of all people." The tomboy stated.

Clyde rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Heh heh, I-I guess."

The school was coming within view, the two boys growing steadily more nervous. They could see a few students hanging around outside, people who were complete strangers. Once they reached the front door, Clyde and Lincoln were practically sweating bullets at this point. Ronalda poked her head in, noting the massive student population. She looked back to the nervous sacks standing before her.

"Would you two stop acting so scared? There's nothing to be afraid of! Just act like you usually do, I'm heading to class." Without another word, she entered the building.

"Well Clyde, here goes nothing..." Lincoln told him.

The two entered the school, no one giving them a glance. It wasn't until they started walking down the hall to their lockers that they caught students staring and whispering behind their backs. They did catch a few girls they weren't familiar with giving them flirtatious looks, which creeped out Clyde and made Lincoln feel uneasy. Thankfully, a familiar face showed up.

"Dudes! What's happenin'?!" Rusty asked all giddy-like.

"Um, ok I guess?" Lincoln replied.

"Just wanna say guys, especially you Lincoln, I never expected you to totally wipe the floor with Chandler and his posse. I still can't believe you actually broke that tree branch! How did you even carry it?! It must've been heavy!"

"I..." Lincoln started.

"Hey Lincoln, just wanna say kudos for what happened yesterday. Had a feelin' it was only a matter of time." Liam stated as he showed up.

"I guess you're right on that part..." The white-haired boy muttered.

"Heeey Lincoln~" Kat said as she and a small group of girls passed the boys, the other girls giving small giggles.

Rusty gave a wide grin as he elbowed Lincoln. "Looks like someone just became quite the ladies man."

"For real this time, unlike the whole girl guru incident..." Liam added.

"Why did you have to remind me of that?..." Lincoln replied. His movement stopped when he accidentally bumped into someone, causing him to stumble back. "Oh, sorry Boy Jordan."

"N-No it's my fault. Sorry Lincoln!" Jordan said quickly before running off.

"...That was weird?" Clyde stated.

"Oh, he's just worried about settin' you off. Lots of kids have been talkin' about it and they're afraid you might blow up on them." The short redhead explained.

" _Blow up_? Ok look guys, it takes a lot for me to get like...how I was seen in that video...I just don't want to get pushed over the edge anymore. It's already happened twice..."

"Wait, twice?" Rusty asked.

 _"I think I said too much..._ " Lincoln mentally facepalmed. "Never mind it. I need to go to my locker guys..." He took off down the hall.

"See ya Lincoln." Rusty shouted.

Lincoln gave a small sigh as he finally found his locker. Fumbling with the combination, he opened the door and shoved his bag into the storage unit. Grabbing the books he needed for homeroom, he closed it with his foot before running off to class. More students had waved at him as he passed them, some gave him a wide berth and a few girls shyly said 'Hi' to him. This was quite the opposite as opposed to last week, where he was the laughing stock of the whole school for the third time. It was as if his past misdeeds had been forgotten and he was the new popular kid in school. The chip-toothed boy was so used to being made a mockery of that receiving some praise from the student body almost felt alien to him. He did get some praise during the whole Girl Guru phase, but it didn't last long, and he was still teased and a few times physically abused by both genders for a few weeks after the pie-to-the-face business deal. He grew a thick skin from the constant teasing, but the boy hadn't actually done anything to stop it. Perhaps that was why he was an easy target for the school bullies, and why he was starting to have these rage episodes. Lincoln told himself he wouldn't let the words and harassment get to him, but he had been completely unaware that his anger was pooling up until he felt he could take no more. The seal had been blasted open last Thursday, and Lincoln wasn't sure when the next time he would slip into his anger-driven self, if at all. He just hoped nothing would get on his nerves any time soon.

As Lincoln walked into class, he noticed one of the boys he fought yesterday getting grilled by the other students. The boy in question was the one who ended up getting sacked in the nuts, much to his embarrassment. It was made even worse since the whole thing was recorded, and someone spawned a meme off the whole ordeal. The class gave Lincoln a passing glance, the new class clown giving a nervous look at Lincoln. The white-haired boy gave a small frown in return before taking his seat. Class carried on as usual, drowning in the boring subjects of math, history, and science...

When the bell rang for lunch, everyone was ready to for break and enjoy a decent meal and play time. "Lincoln, mind if I talk with you for a minute?" Agnes called as he was about to leave.

A chorus of "Ooo's" rang throughout the class. The chip-toothed boy fidgeted a little in embarrassment. "It's not that kind of talk class. The rest of you, go to lunch." The teacher ordered. The others didn't have to be told twice. Clyde wanted to stick around, but he wasn't one to disrespect a teacher's wishes.

"A-Am I in trouble for anything?" Lincoln stammered.

"No no no, it's quite the opposite. Have a seat please." Lincoln sat in one of the desks in the front row. "Now, I'm sure you are quite aware of a certain, incident, being spread around on the Internet lately."

"You mean the video of where I...beat up Chandler at the park?"

"Yes. Now, I'm sure some of the students have given you praise for what you did, but honestly...I'm just shocked someone like you had a lot of aggression. You haven't been much of a problem student Lincoln, you've never gotten into any fights at school, and while you have on more than one occasion nearly failed or caused some unrest here, you were responsible enough to make up for your misdeeds. The last thing anyone expected was for you to beat up 5 students, even if they deserved it...honestly, I don't know what those boys were thinking tossing that little girl like that, but what I want to know from you Lincoln..are you ok?"

Lame-O twiddled his thumbs as he thought about how to answer that question. "...I guess so...I mean...I didn't want to end up fighting them, but after what they did to my sister, I just...I just lost it, you know?..."

"Ah, so that's your sister...I thought I remembered seeing her before. Is she doing ok? How's life at home?"

"Lana's doing ok for the most part. As for home..." Lincoln knew he couldn't tell Ms. Johnson what was really going on with his home life. That would earn a quick call to the police, and what he didn't want to happen to his family. It would also seem like Lincoln went back on his word and just ratted his family out for the sake of revenge, something he absolved to _not_ do. "Home...is nice..."

"You sure?" Agnes questioned.

Lincoln gave a small nod. "I'm sure."

"...Alright then. But I should warn you Lincoln. If you end up getting into a fight on school grounds, both parties usually end up suspended. I know it's typically one of the two that start it, but fighting is prohibited for good reason. Understand?"

"Yes Ms. Johnson..."

"Oh, and one more thing. You're probably wondering what became of Chandler...well, his parents informed me that he's in the hospital to get surgery for his mouth. They said you fractured his jaw...they didn't sound very pleased, then again, I doubt any parent would if their child got seriously hurt...added to that, and I don't want to cause any alarm for you, but...I overheard the father thinking about pressing charges..."

Lincoln's face went pale. "C-Charges?! Why?!"

"I honestly don't know...I was talking to Chandler's mother, but I heard his father in the background talking about it. Usually in circumstances like these, I would guess the charge would be on assault and battery. That means threatening someone and physically harming them, but I doubt the case would follow through since there's enough proof that what you did was an act of self-defense."

"...How do you know so much on this? I'm not exactly familiar with the laws, aside from knowing that murder is wrong..." That was a half-truth, considering what he researched a few days ago.

"Well...I'll just say I had a very troubling relationship years ago that led to a nasty divorce..." Agnes didn't like bringing up that asshole of an ex-husband she used to have. He can rot in jail for all she cared. The only saving grace was that she had a child from him, who the bastard didn't think was important enough to support.

Lincoln sank in his chair. "Why can't I catch a break?...it's not my fault he had it coming..."

"I know Lincoln, but like I said, there's enough evidence floating around that this won't become a case. If it does, I'm willing to bet everyone who saw it would testify on your behalf."

"Y-You think so?"

"Positive. Now don't fret on it too much, and run off to lunch now." Agnes smiled.

"...Thanks Ms. Johnson." Lincoln replied before walking out the classroom. When he was out of earshot, Agnes took out her phone and pulled up EyeTube. She flipped around until she saw a particular video and pressed play. Punching sounds and cries of pain rang out from the small speaker. "Geez...I hope to God he doesn't get into trouble over this..."

* * *

"So what did Ms. Johnson want?" Clyde asked, munching on Sloppy Joe.

"She just wanted to know if I was alright..." Lincoln replied, slowly picking at his food.

"Then why do you look like your pet horse died?" Liam asked.

"It's a bit personal..."

"Come on Lincoln. You can trust us. We're your friends after all." Rusty added.

Lincoln seemed hesitant to relay information to multiple people, and there was only a select few he could trust that wouldn't flip out too much over what he may say. "Sorry Rusty, don't take this personally but...I...just can't really trust you, Liam, or Zach with this kind of information."

"Ah come on man. Haven't we always had your back?" The taller boy replied.

"Yeah, you've bailed me out from a tense situation a couple of times," Lincoln then formed a frown, "But keep in mind I'm still upset at you guys for banishing me to the _sticky table_...what my sister did wasn't my fault, and she didn't stay in our school for long before she got her teaching job back..."

"I thought we apologized for that." Zach replied.

"You did, but that doesn't mean I _completely_ forgave you. I just didn't say anything since then about it...I'm sorry guys, but this isn't something I can share with you..." The white-haired boy replied.

"Well, if you feel you can't trust us, then we won't let that stop you. Come on fellas..." Liam said as he and the other two boys went to sit elsewhere.

"Did you really have to do that?" Clyde asked.

"I'll be honest with you Clyde...out of all of the friends I have, you're the _only_ person whose been at my side through thick and thin no matter how bad things have gotten. The others?...The whole sticky table incident was just an example...I know I saw Rusty and Zach in the crowd that through pies at me that one time. Liam wasn't there since my advice actually worked for him, but he's like the other two. Yeah, you've had your faults in that department too, both of us actually, but we always stuck to each other like glue...I'm not as close to Rusty, Liam, and Zach like I am with you and Ronnie Anne, and sometimes I feel they might shun me again over something that wasn't my fault, so I can't entrust them to not do something crazy with what I'm about to tell you..."

"You know I always have an ear out for you buddy. So what's the deal?"

"Aside from asking about my health...Ms. Johnson also told me that Chandler had to get surgery for his mouth..."

Clyde went wide-eyed. "Wow...guess Ronnie Anne's guess about his mouth being wired shut wasn't crazy."

"That's not the bad part though...his dad was thinking about prosecuting me..."

This prompted the boy to let out a gasp. "On what?! Assault and Battery?! First Degree Assault?!...Attempted Murder?! Lincoln, you're too young to go to jail!"

Lincoln covered Clyde's mouth with a hand. "Clyde calm down! You're making a scene!" Indeed, a few nearby students were looking at them, but went back to eating when they stopped. "Ms. Johnson said it might be Assault and Battery, but she also said there was too much evidence against it that no case would be made of it. She said it could be ruled as self defense."

"Oh...that makes me feel a little better." The African-American replied in a muffled tone. He moved Lincoln's hand away. "But just so you know buddy, if they do try to bring you in, you've got me as a witness. I was there after all."

"True..." Lincoln rested his head on his arms. "It just feels like I can't catch a break since this whole thing started..."

"Well, at least no one is laughing at us this time. Several people had been complimenting me since we got here, even a few...ahem, g-girls..." Clyde said the last part in a nervous tone. "Even Girl Jordan said hi to me in a nervous tone."

"Yeah...but we've gotten that before and it came crashing down on us in the span of a few days."

"I know the whole Girl Guru incident was a big stain on our social standing, but you gotta look at the future Lincoln. Maybe this time, things will be different. It could be like Ronnie Anne said, no one would ever think to mess with you again out of fear or love. I believe a wise man once said: it's better to be feared than loved if you can't have both." Clyde said, hoping to cheer up his friend.

"But, I don't _want_ to be feared...yeah, I want people to stop messing with me, but I don't want them to be afraid of me. Ronalda was thinking like that when she first saw that video..."

"Ronalda? That's her real name?"

"Yeah...me and Ronnie Anne gotten a bit, closer I guess?" Lincoln shifted his head to look at Ronnie Anne, who was sitting at another table chatting with her friends.

Clyde looked at the Hispanic girl then back to the ashen-haired child. "Aaah I see." He smirked, but then gave a low sigh. "If only I could get Lori to feel the same way..."

Lincoln gave a low groan. He liked Clyde, but if he had to admit it, his obsession over his oldest sister was quite annoying at times. "I'm not sure if Dr. Lopez is helping in that regard, and keep in mind she helped lock me outside..."

"Right, right. S-Sorry...so what were you saying about Ronnie Anne?"

"You won't believe this, but...she was actually worried that what happened with Chandler, I might end up doing it to her if we weren't the way we are right now. I told her that I wouldn't dream of hurting her, but I could see her point."

"Even I find that notion to be hard to believe, but since you said you fought Lynn to a stalemate..." Clyde cringed.

The African-American thought of a scenario where Lincoln ended up beating Ronnie Anne to a pulp due to snapping, which may cause Bobby to break up with Lori (he thought the teen wasn't good for her anyways). In turn, Lori might do something horrible to Lincoln, which Clyde thinks might land Lincoln in a body cast, or disfigured, or _worse_...

Clyde shook his head to clear away those abhorring thoughts. He needed to think of something more lighthearted. "So..."

Lincoln looked at him confused. "What?"

"Did you and Ronnie Anne plan a date yet?"

* * *

The atmosphere at Royal Woods High was just like what one may imagine in your average high school: hallways full of students, groups talking (and blocking precious space in the hall, forcing other students to squeeze through), girls gossiping, and of course, droning on about how much your classes suck. In the midst of all this chaos, Lori was walking around the building looking for a particular person. She spotted her two sisters either talking with their friends or cramming something into their locker, which in Luna's case, was her comically stuffing her locker so it'd stay closed. Lori couldn't help but feel a little envious of her siblings. It wasn't about their social groups, as the teen herself was affiliated with many, but it was the fact they've made good progress on their gifts. Leni was finished with her bed frame, all she needed was a new mattress and sheets. The blonde ordered some special Ace Savvy bedding once she finished the frame, so all she had to do was wait.

As for Luna, she made good progress on her song with Luan's help. It was both rocking and comedic at times, highlighting the good times the sisters had with Lincoln as well as the bad, but in the end, reminding them that no matter what happened, they were still family. However, the musician still had a little bit of work to do as far as the tempo and rhythm. As for Lori...she didn't have any ideas, and Bobby was being rather hesitant to help. Lori understood the reasoning behind it, since it was revealed that Lincoln had been staying with the Santiagos for the last few days. Still, she needed some serious aid in finding a way to get Lincoln to forgive her, particularly since she had been rather harsh on him in the past. Lori promised her siblings that they wouldn't let the Santiagos know they knew they've been sheltering Lincoln, but she needed to find out where things stood between her and her boo boo bear.

Since the two teens had the same lunch period, it was easy to find him in the cafeteria. Lori wouldn't risk calling him, since he'd be likely to make up an excuse to dodge the question. The phone-obsessed teen found her boyfriend sitting with a couple of other friends he had in class.

Strolling over to the table, Lori cleared her throat to make her presence known. "Roberto, we need to talk."

The other guys looked at Bobby for a second before suppressing laughter. "Looks like someone's in the dog house."

"Hah hah, very funny." The Hispanic boy muttered before Lori took him out of the lunch room and into a quiet part of the school. "Sooooo, what did you want to talk about it?"

"Bobby, I'm going to be straight to the point...I...no, my whole family knows you guys have been taking care of Lincoln since he ran off..."

Roberto's eyes widened. "How'd you figure that out?! You're not gonna come and take him home are you?!" He pointed at her accusingly.

Lori shook her had as she raised her hands in defense. "No no no! None of us want to risk driving him away further than we already did...I want to thank you for taking care of him though."

"Well, you're welcome, but-"

"Roberto, I know what you're going to say..." Lori said with a saddened look. "I'm pretty sure Lincoln told you _everything_ that happened, even before the whole 'bad luck' phase...I was _angry_ at you at first when the twins saw Lincoln and Ronnie Anne together, I asked you directly if you had seen him and you _lied_ to me...but I realized I couldn't be mad at you because I was still angry at myself...I helped drive my only brother out of my life because I didn't pay attention to his feelings...he even got you to spend time with me after I was feeling neglected, and what do I show in return?..." The blonde was now on the verge of tears. "S-So I just want you to know, if you want to break up with me, I-I won't hold it against you..."

"Strained..." Roberto finally replied, his arms crossed.

Lori looked at him confused.

"I was going to say strained Lori...when Lincoln first told me everything, I was about to call you. However, he stopped me from doing so because he didn't want to be found, so I had to keep up with the impression of being your boyfriend because I love Lincoln like the little brother I never had...I was hesitant to help you since you treated him poorly, but...I've seen how desperate you were to ask me for help in bringing him back, which tells me that you seriously regret everything that's happened and want to make amends, right?"

The blonde nodded. "...I honestly don't know what to do right now...I would get something Ace Savvy related, but nothing could beat Leni's homemade bed in that topic...my other siblings are busy with their own ideas so I don't want to interrupt them...I know Lincoln likes video games but I think that might be too cheap in that aspect..."

"I'll be honest Lori, I don't know much about Lincoln either since he spends most of his time with Ronnie Anne, and I'm busy with work. I guess..." Roberto rubbed the back of his head, "Probably after school we can go to the mall to find something he may like. But, know this Lori...I may not have officially broken up with you since you're taking this seriously, but I'm not referring to you as 'babe' until this whole thing is fixed...I'm still disappointed that you actually did something so...wrong...you can count yourself lucky that Lincoln refused to spill the beans to the cops..."

"P-Please don't remind me...I had a bad dream about everyone being put into foster care after I first heard the news...I may be 17, but my birthday is still a long ways off before I'm legally classified as an adult...and there's no way I'd be able to look after the house _and_ my whole family with the job I have right now..."

"...If it's any consideration, you know that Lincoln is starting to open up again right?"

"Yeah...I saw the video of him beating some kid senseless...I'll admit that while I'm annoyed at Clyde's constant stalking of me, I'll give him props for looking after my brother..."

The two sat in silence for a moment before the bell rang, meaning their lunch period ended. "Well, guess I'll see you around Lori..."

"Bye..."

Lori watched him walk away for a moment, leaving her to stew in her thoughts. Good news was that Bobby didn't entirely end their relationship, despite it hanging on a thin thread. But she still had no clue how to make amends to Lincoln. Lori remembered the times he helped her when it came to her relationship with Roberto, as well as the time he forced him to come on a double date so he could make it up to Ronnie Anne. Bobby did say he was spending a lot of time with her, perhaps...maybe getting closer as well. Lori's eyes widened as the gears of her head were turning, a thought formulating into a possible plan. She gave a small smile at the ceiling before heading to her next class. Lincoln had helped improve her relationship in the past, so who was to say she couldn't return the favor?

 **A/N: There, finally got it done for you. Sorry for the long wait, but consider the wait time a small punishment for those becoming impatient. Good things ALWAYS come to the patient ones.**

 **So, it seems Lincoln's social life is taking an upturn, and while Lori's relationship has taken the opposite approach. But, she finally has an idea on how to make it up to her brother, and it would involve the somewhat complicated relationship he has with Ronalda. I don't think the two have ever been on a little date, as Save the Date was more so for Lori and Bobby. So, what shall those two think of? And what will become of the subtle hint of possible charges being pressed. No doubt, something like this will make news headlines.**


	13. Making Claims

**A/N: With Lincoln's newly affirmed social status, it's clear he's having issues adjusting to it. One reason is because he was never popular for this long, and during that period it only lasted for a short duration. The second and most obvious one, as shown in the last chapter, he thinks something will happen that would make his popularity go downhill into loser territory again. But, chances of this happening are slim since many are afraid of getting on his bad side. But, we will see how others are taking his new status as 'toughest boy in school', as well as looking into other things.**

 **Also, some guest recently did a review for A Night To Forget and claimed himself to be Chris Savino. Since apparently you cursed out another guest reviewer like a child, don't impersonate creators you snake.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Ronnie Anne didn't expect to find herself stewing in hidden anger during the day. Granted, she was at school so the stress is always there, but she felt an odd sense of vexation she didn't think she'd feel before: jealousy. Being dubbed the 'Queen of Pain', you wouldn't think Ronalda had something to feel envious about. She was essentially one of the more popular girls in school, no one would dare cross her if it meant dealing with a broken nose, and she just had that intimidation factor about her that would send warning signals to other potential bullies. And yet, she was irritated. Not because of what someone did to her, but because of what was going on with a _very close_ friend of hers.

The Hispanic girl had been silently watching Lincoln throughout the day, looking at how others were treating him since it became apparent everyone in the school saw that beatdown he delivered. The boys either congratulated him or avoided him, something that made Ronalda feel proud of Lincoln for. Seems he got his wish: the white-haired boy had practically stepped into her shoes for a day. But with the girls...it was a different story, and that was what her anger resided with. It pissed the tomboy off to no end how all of these girls were suddenly paying attention to Lincoln now that he had proven he was no slouch. She _knew_ that just a week ago how some ridiculed him over the mascot suit he wore, and wouldn't even give him the time of day long before that. But now, there were _flirting_ with him. That act alone had caused Ronalda to snap two of her pencils in half during her classes.

With 90 minutes remaining of the school day, Ronalda walked briskly through the halls towards her locker, an irate look etched on her face. Several students always gave her a wide berth when she was in a sour mood, which eased her stress a little. Last thing she wanted to do was knock some loser down and get slapped with detention. One other silver lining at the end of this tunnel was that today her last class was the same one Lincoln had as well. Not that science was interesting, but at least she'd get to ask him how his day was going.

Shutting her locker with a loud slam, she walked her way to class. Passing by another hallway, she looked to her left and spotted Lincoln digging his books out of his locker. His entire head shoved in there, he wasn't paying much attention to his immediate surroundings. Looking closely at the inside of the locker door, Ronalda could see bits and pieces of garbage that was still caked on the inside. Ronnie Anne remembered that day clearly. She was still surprised she managed to drag a whole can full of trash to his locker without getting caught, but it was easy to remember Lincoln's locker combination after watching him in secret. Stuffing it in there, was a different matter: the tomboy easily recalled having to wash up thoroughly in the girls restroom due to some of the waste spilling onto her. In the end, she managed to clean herself good enough to be able to witness her prank occur exactly as planned.

If it were any other time, Ronalda would've laughed at that memory. But right now? She felt a knot form in her stomach, the ugly feeling of guilt rearing its head once more. Lincoln may have forgiven her for her past pranks, but she still felt bad for giving him crap at school when he had enough problems at home, and she was willing to bet he had plenty of pranking issues thanks to Luan. As Lincoln was finishing up changing his books out, Ronalda took note of a few girls she didn't know grinning at Lincoln and talking to one another. Her guilt was beaten down by hostility once more.

"Stupid pigs..." She muttered.

After a bit of talking, one of the girls decided to make her way over to him. Sizing her up silently, Ronalda could tell the girl was pretty nervous. The other female was Caucasian, had red curly hair, wore a navy blue blouse with a skirt to match, and had an orange hairband on her head. The Pain Queen squinted her eyes. This girl looked oddly familiar...she recalled when Lincoln told her about the video contest he entered. She saw the video herself even. What was her name...

The tomboy's eyes went wide upon realizing who that girl was. Cristina was the girl Lincoln used to crush on, even fantasizing about kissing her from what his videos showed. Naturally, the redhead was creeped out and switched classes, the two rarely seeing each other since. Not only that, but for some odd reason some of the boys in school felt she needed to be protected from Lincoln, to the point a few even threatened the Loud for little reason. But, Ronnie Anne was confused on this end. Why would Cristina of all people want to talk with Lincoln? Unless she...

Ronalda knitted her brows, her left eye twitching, and her grip tightening on her books. "Oh there is no way that ginger is gonna try and ask him out...not if _I_ have anything to say about it..." She muttered to herself. To her, Cristina had no right to try and even _speak_ with him. So he snapped and beat up 5 boys. What was he? Their knight in shining armor? Well, to Ronnie Anne this would be true, especially after last night, but everyone else? When it snows in hell, maybe. It was already bad enough that she had to watch these girls' poor attempts to flirt with him, but when someone who specifically _requested_ to get as far away from him as possible tries to do it, that's when she drew the line. The tomboy needed to show these girls that they were _way_ too late to be _thinking_ of Lincoln as a potential boyfriend. And she knew just how to do that.

Seeing Cristina pause just a couple short meters from him, Lincoln hadn't noticed her presence yet. She seemed to be having second thoughts, and turn to look at the girls behind her. Seizing the opportunity, Ronalda sped-walked towards the boy from the opposite direction. Once within spitting distance, she leaned on one of the closed lockers. "Hey Lame-O."

Lincoln jumped upon hearing her voice. "Oh, h-hey Ronnie Anne." With his attention now on her, there was little chance of him noticing Cristina.

"Sooo, how's your day been?" The tomboy asked in a forced, sing-song tone.

"Good I guess, despite how everyone is acting..." The boy replied.

"I s-see." Ronalda replied, trying not to let her anger show. "So, you doin' anything tonight?"

"Well, besides homework, nothing really. Why?"

"Oh, thinkin' we could hit the arcade later tonight. My treat. Pick me up at 6 ok?"

"O-Ok? Technically I'm staying-" Lincoln started, before the warning bell cut him off.

"Welp, there's the bell. Come on, we got some science stuff to do partner." Ronnie Anne smirked before taking Lincoln's hand and lead him to their next class. Turning her head slightly, she saw the sad and disappointed look Cristina had. The other girls, who were probably the redhead's friends, were glaring at the Queen of Pain. Ronalda gave them all a smug grin as the duo walked off.

"Um, who are you looking at?" Lincoln asked.

Turning her full attention back to Lincoln, the Hispanic girl gave a genuine smile."No one, besides you."

* * *

Dr. Feinstein's Dentistry isn't always as busy during the weekdays, particularly in the middle of the day. In most cases, appointments come in the late afternoon or early evening hours, when kids and parents aren't busy with school or work. And on most days, Rita expects to only have to work with kids doing regular checkups, cavities (since kids don't floss like they should) or the occasional caramel apple incidents. But what she didn't expect today, was having to work with a child whose had his teeth fall out due to serious blunt trauma.

The matriarch recognized the boy almost instantly from the video, the same one who pulled her daughter's overalls and flung her like a slingshot. If it wasn't for the fact Chandler was already in pain, Rita would have honest to God slapped the boy for touching her daughter. She wouldn't have cared if the boy's mother chewed her out for it either. However, considering that she had to help Dr. Feinstein with almost every patient, Rita begrudgingly helped the doctor assess the damage done to the boy's mouth. You'd think he would've had this done at the hospital, but as far as teeth alignment is concerned, a practiced dentist is the preferred option. Chandler only had to open it enough to where Feinstein could clearly see the inside, as the small fracture on the jaw line prevented the redhead from opening his mouth completely.

"Hmmm...well, it's not bad, but it's not great either. Two baby teeth have been removed which aren't an issue, but your left incisor, right canine, both premolars and your left second premolar were removed. And according to your file, those were adult teeth..."

"Am I gonna be able to speak clearly at all?" Chandler said while his mouth was open.

"Well of course, but your teeth will end up being misaligned as they continue to grow in and causing some issues. To fix this, you'll be needing fake teeth and braces to correct this alignment. Honestly, I'm surprised an 11 year old could do this sort of damage." The doctor stated.

"At this point, I'm _not_ so surprised." Rita voiced, making no effort to hide her irritation.

"I know you're upset Rita, but please try to quell your anger."

"Sorry David, but...you know how moms get with kids..."

"Right...I'm still surprised your son actually had that much anger in him. He seemed like a nice, imaginative boy. Is he doing alright?"

Rita didn't know the true answer to that since she hadn't seen Lincoln in days. But judging from Lana's testimony, "He's doing fine so far." Was all she said.

"Ok. How about you take a little break? I need to break the news to Chandler's parents."

"Thanks..." Rita said, her tone a bit sullen.

Passing by a trash can, she removed her facial mask and gloves before tossing them. She brought a hand to her forehead in frustration and gave a heavy sigh. It wasn't the fact she had her hands in the mouth of a kid whose been beaten by her son, though Rita would be lying to herself if she said she didn't have the thought of yanking a few teeth out. Life was not being kind to Mrs. Loud, and she was well aware that she deserved it. The van broke down again, which meant Lana would have to spend time repairing it. Another thing on her mind was that a few friends that she knew congratulated her for being a good mother as they had seen the video as well. Ironically, this was the _opposite_ of how Rita felt. There were times herself and Lynn Sr. should've been paying more attention to what their kids had been doing (such as the time the Loud children sold just about everything in the house during a garage sale), but the one time they managed to pay attention before things got out of hand, they picked the stupidest choice.

The closest Lincoln had ever been to them was yesterday, just several meters from the house. She wanted to see her son again in person, to tell him how sorry she was and that she'd never abandon him again. But at the same time, she was also dreading such a meeting. Knowing how children are at this age over something that is very sensitive, Lincoln could be harboring some deep seeded hate for his parents, even if he was beginning to come around when it came to his sisters. The mother was also worried about Lynn Jr., considering that she fought Lincoln tooth and nail before he ran off. Getting those two to forgive each other would probably be the hardest task. Not only that, she noticed her daughter's behavior has been deteriorating. At first, Lynn seemed to be a bit depressed for the first few days, but now she seemed to be copying Lucy, or even worse. The mother also began to wonder if Lynn was eating anything, as the last time she picked her up due to her having another crying episode, she felt...lighter than usual. Lynn said she was fine, but mother's tuition told her otherwise. She'd definitely need to talk with her when she got home. Feeling slightly hungry, the matriarch decided to step out of the office.

As Rita walked out the waiting room, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson were waiting patiently for their son to finish. The father seemed rather irritated about something given the scowl on his face, while the mother was just focused on the well-being of her son. Both parents had a bit of an argument about whether to press charges for Chandler being assaulted, the father obviously for it and the mother against. Regardless of the argument, the father went and called the police. Unfortunately for him, the officer on the line refused to process their complaint since it was obvious their boy deserved it, as well as another reason that came as more of a threat.

"It's still Assault and Battery regardless whether it was warranted..." The man muttered.

"Oh don't start this again Brandon. I told you they wouldn't hear anything about it. As much as I don't like it, you know Chandler deserved what happened to him. If anything, _we're_ the ones who are lucky the family of that boy hasn't pressed charges. Also, you're lucky that officer only left the threat of arresting you for letting kids play around in a _sewage_ _plant_ if you tried to process the claim any further. I'm surprised your boss didn't fire you for that..." The mother stated in irritation.

"Let's just say a lot of ass kissing was involved..." Brandon grumbled.

"And a salary cut. I know it was Chandler's birthday but we could've held his party somewhere else."

"Marriot, I told you before, I wanted it to be special! Plus it was perfectly safe. The kids even had protective suits. "

"Kids shouldn't have to be wearing _hazmat suits_ to a birthday party! And what was wrong with my choice to go to Gus' Arcade?"

"Their prices are pretty outrageous." Brandon shrugged.

In response, Marriot pinched the bridge of her nose. "No they weren't. They're pretty fair for what was only supposed to be $50 an hour."

The door opened as David led Chandler out the door. "Ok son, you just wait there for a moment. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, a word please."

Both parents followed the Head Dentist as Chandler sat down. He had pain killers for his mouth but it still felt a bit sore, likely from having to keep it open for several minutes. The redhead was thankful he didn't have school today. He already got chewed big time by his mother for getting in over his head, and that he should've known better. His father was a bit more lenient but it paled in comparison to the amount of hateful stares he'd get when he returned to school. Feeling his mouth, Chandler thought back to that incident at the park. It was probably the talk of the town now or something. One side of him knew he screwed up when he and his friends tossed that little girl like a toy into the pond. He always viewed Lincoln to be this weak little boy who failed to grow a spine, as the constant teasing he dealt proved that Lincoln wouldn't do much to him. That is, until he messed with someone that apparently was his sister.

Lesson learned: Don't pick on another person's sibling _right in front of them..._

"Man, you look like crap." Spoke a childish male voice.

Looking across from him, Chandler was shocked to see a blonde haired boy just feet away. Not exactly a good reason to be surprised, but it was just the way the boy looked. He wore an orange polo with blue jeans and blue sneakers, had some prominent buck teeth, large nose, and a lack of baby fat on his face. The other boy grew confused by the look Chandler was giving him.

"...What?"

"You look a lot like someone I know..."

"If you mean Pineapple Boy, I guess you could say that. I don't see the semblance though." The boy stated, looking up at a ceiling mirror.

"So what's your real name?"

The blonde folded his arms. "Conner. Conner Pingrey. I don't have to ask who you are, Chandler." Conner said in a mocking tone, making the redhead irate.

"Why did someone have to record all of that?..."

"I don't know. Maybe because it was funny seeing your butt get whooped by a kid who you were torturing. I saw a bunch of karma at play in it, and I thought Pineapple Boy was pretty weak."

"And how exactly do you know him?..."

Connor shifted in his seat a little. "He...got me banned from the store once..."

"Over what? Cereal?..." Chandler said as a matter-of-fact.

"Whatever..."

Chandler stared this kid in thought. He irritated him quite easily, and probably does the same thing to everyone else around him. A part of him was coming into conflict with itself. He wanted to get back at Lincoln for causing him public embarrassment and no doubt ruining his social standing, but the more rational side of him knew not to cause anymore trouble, lest he end up receiving a worse beating from Lincoln. His face hurt bad enough and his eyes were almost done healing, last thing he wanted was a broken limb. The redhead could also give some props for Clyde, as he didn't think that nerd actually had a pair either. Even so, Chandler's mind thought to the ridicule and harassment he'd get at school. No doubt his friends were getting theirs, but now he'd be the school laughing stock. All the while, Lincoln was probably yucking it up and soaking in his new popularity like a sponge. It was funny how the roles had changed. Hardly anyone knew Lincoln, and if they did, it was usually to demean him. Until yesterday...

The more Chandler thought about it, the more his vengeful side was creeping up. Looking over at the bratty kid across from him, he was right to note that Conner did look similar to Lincoln. Almost _too_ similar. If he just painted his hair white he'd be a spitting image of him. At the moment, the gears in the ginger's head were turning. Lincoln did say he didn't care with what Chandler did to him, so long as he stayed away from his friends and sisters. Not only that, what could an anonymous act do to point fingers at the instigator?

"Hey Connor, are you into pranking?"

"Kinda. I mean, I've done to my two older sisters, though my second oldest sister doesn't seemed phased by it since she's an emo. Carol on the other hand, I just _love_ her reactions." Conner said before giving off what could be descripted as an annoying laugh.

"Well, how about something rather complex?"

"Like what?"

The redhead gave a smug grin. "I want to play a little trick on Lincoln..."

Connor blinked for a minute before he laughed harder. "Ok, back up there for a sec. He already beat your face in once, or are you just a glutton for punishment?"

"Can't punish if you remain anonymous."

"...Ok where are you going with this?"

"Since you look much like beaver-face, I got a few ideas in mind."

"Hold on. I would be up for pranking Lincoln _only_ if this doesn't come to bite me in the butt. So what's in it for me if I help you?..." Connor replied, squinting his eyes suspiciously.

"Half of my allowance."

"...How much?"

"$350."

Connor rapped his fingers on the armrest. In all honesty he shouldn't be helping a kid who'd toss 6 year olds in a fit of rage, but if was gonna pay him that much...he could do a lot with that kind of money, such as getting a couple games he'd been eyeing but his limited budget wouldn't allow him to purchase. Looking at the floor nervously, he gave a heavy sigh. "Fine...so when are we doing this?"

Chandler grabbed a magazine off a table and ripped a small piece off. He then grabbed a pen from the front desk and wrote something, before handing it to Conner. "This is my number. I'll call you when the time comes, which will be a while because I'm in a deep grounding."

"Right..." Conner stated, eye-balling the cell number written on the note.

The door to the hallway opened and a 13 year old girl with blonde hair similar to Conner's stepped in. Her eyes were barely visible as they were mostly covered by her bangs. Wearing a purple shirt with a white scarf wrapped at the waste along with black pants and white shoes, the girls also had a black beanie on her head.

"Come on Conner, Carol's here." The teen said in a monotonous voice.

"Would it kill you to smile every once in a while Cassy?"

"Yes...yes it would."

Connor rolled his eyes before following his sister out the door. He pocketed the note, making a mental message in his mind to put it some place he'd remember it.

* * *

Soon enough, school had let out. This time around, Lincoln found himself not being talked to by other girls, which was considered a blessing for him as he had grown rather uncomfortable. Clyde however, was relishing in the attention. However, his crush for Lori always prevailed and he turned down some good opportunities to hang with another girl his age. Lincoln would have to have a serious talk with him about that later, hoping to get his friend's attention this time. In truth, Lincoln had talked with Clyde about this before, but his facts usually fell on deaf ears. Right now though, he needed to speak with Ronnie Anne, who had been holding his hand since they left school.

"So...mind telling me why you asked me to pick you up, when we're staying in the same house?" Lincoln asked. That had been on his mind for the last two hours.

"Not everyone knows that." Ronalda replied, shuffling her backpack on her shoulder.

"True...but it didn't explain the way you were looking at other girls when they looked in our direction..." The boy said uneasily. Just about any female that so much glanced at Lincoln was met with a glare from the tomboy, including the teacher at one point.

"I...just didn't want them looking at you..." The Hispanic girl glared at the ground, a blush creeping on her cheeks.

The ashen-haired child wondered why for a moment, but a brief flash to the day's events gave him a quick answer. "Ronnie Anne, you weren't being jealous were you?"

"N-no?! Why do you care?"

"Well, for one, you never held my hand in public before." Lincoln looked down. "And you still are even though the school isn't in view anymore."

Ronalda looked at their hands before she quickly ungrasped his, shoving her hands into her pockets and quickening her pace. Lincoln looked on, feeling like he had said the wrong thing. It wasn't uncommon that he did this around Ronalda, though this time at least she didn't sack him in the arm. He thought to the times Lori got jealous when he and Bobby hung out together, and then it finally clicked in his head. Knocking himself out of his daze, he ran after her.

"Ronnie Anne, wait up!" She didn't respond as she kept walking, but Lincoln caught up and walked next to her. "Ronalda, I know you said last night that you had issues expressing yourself, but I think I get it now. You did that stuff because you didn't like the other girls giving me that kind of attention."

Ronalda stopped walking, giving a small, frustrated sigh. "It's not just that...no other girl ever paid attention to you until you suddenly became Mr. Bigshot. The thought of them being around you was making me sick...they even tried acting all girly around you, and I bet they hardly even _knew_ you!...I just...I just couldn't take it anymore, so I had to show them that you are mine, a-and no one else's...ugh, that sounded so mushy, but..."

Lincoln smiled. "Actually, I think it was sweet. And if it helps, I wouldn't have hung out with any of those girls. At least you paid attention to me long before then, even though you had an odd way of showing it."

Ronalda looked back at him. "Y-You sure? Cause I'm pretty sure Cristina was about to ask you out if I didn't cut her off..."

Lincoln was surprised by that. He didn't see the redhead all day, only to find out she was practically behind him. To think his old crush actually wanted to hang with him when she took steps to avoid him put Lincoln into a state of indecisiveness for a moment. However, the look on Ronalda's face gave him an answer that lied with his heart. "If you want my opinion, I would've turned her down, cause I already have a girlfriend." The boy grabbed her hand softly, making the Hispanic girl give a genuine smile.

Ronalda looked around a brief second before planting a kiss on Lincoln's cheek.

"Y-You're gonna start displaying your affection in public are you?"

"If I need to. Not that I care if the other girls give me mean looks or threaten me, cause I can handle it. So long as you can handle the teasing." She gave a smug look.

"Trust me, I think I learned my lesson the _first_ time." Lincoln laughed, remembering that fateful double date at the French-Mexican restaurant. "I will admit though...if it wasn't for Lori forcing me to join her...we likely wouldn't be this close."

"Probably. I thought Bobby was going overboard for breaking up with her...or it could've been a plot to get us together. Bobby knew I did like you..." Ronalda said in a quizzical tone.

"Maybe...speaking of dates, were you serious about the arcade thing?"

"Yeah, if we finish our work fast enough."

Lincoln chuckled slightly. "Well if you're up for it, I'm-" He was cut short when he bumped into someone. They were coming across a blind corner when it happened. Lincoln heard something clatter to the ground as if it was made of plastic, along with a feminine voice he swore he recognized. Ronalda helped him keep his balance as he looked to see who he bumped into. His face was that of great surprise. On the ground, and looking directly at him in equal shock, was his 13 year old sister Lynn. Quickly glancing her up and down, Lincoln noticed the crutches as well as the brace the athlete had on her foot. Ronalda looked at the two with a tinge of nervousness in her body language. From what Lincoln said, the two had some really bad blood between each other the last time they met. She wasn't even sure if Lincoln still held those sentiments since he had forgiven a few of his sisters recently.

With Lincoln, his surprise was beginning to subside, and his dark thoughts were popping up again. Of course, this day just had to be _too_ good to be true. Getting all that praise at school, only to run into the one sister who managed to make his truth seem like a complete fib. Lincoln promised himself he'd make Lynn pay if he ever saw her again, and he thought she was lucky his sisters held him back before he could do some real damage. The boy's hands started to form into fists as he felt those hateful memories returning; a small glare forming on his face. However, the white haired child's rage was blocked by that of confusion. Seeing the brace on her foot, the same place where Lincoln bit her, the boy realized he did more damage to her than he anticipated. Not only that, Lynn looked scared...like a child looking up at their tormentor and waiting for them to make the first move. He could pummel her right here and now when he had the chance, his anger was telling him to. But...it just didn't feel right since she seemed so...vulnerable and frightened. Instead, Lincoln decided to go for the approach he had when the twins popped up so suddenly.

"Lynn..." The boy said without care.

"H-H-Hey Lincoln..." Lynn said uneasily, moving her hand to grabbed her crutches while keeping an eye on her brother.

"So how's your foot treating you?..."

"S-Still painful...b-but I'll manage..." The 13 year old said, standing herself up. "...How have you been?"

"Good...mostly..."

Lynn shifted uneasily a bit, not sure how to make small talk at a time likes this. Thankfully, she had a way to easily back out of this ordeal. "I...I gotta be somewhere now. Cya!" She blurted out before going across the street as fast as she could and continued from there.

Ronalda watched as the sports fanatic faded of out sight. "Well...that was awkward..."

Lincoln gave a heavy sigh. "Tell me about it...I didn't think I'd actually run into Lynn so soon...I wasn't even ready to see her face again..."

"Judging from that look she had, I think she was too. Never thought I'd see the ever famous 'Lunatic Lynn' scared of her own brother."

"Yeah..." Lincoln put a hand to his forehead. "My life just got turned upside down."

Ronalda tucked her arm around his. "Well, how about we hit the arcade now? Would help take your mind off things."

The boy gave a small shrug. "I guess so..."

With Lynn, she panted as she came to a stop on the street her house was on. Utterly scared out of her wits, she _definitely_ didn't expect to run into her brother so soon. When she did, the athlete thought she was good as dead. Since she was on the ground, Lincoln had the perfect opportunity to utterly demolish her. She'd suffer a fate worse than that jerk Chandler...Lynn was sure she'd have a limb or two broken with her face beaten and swelled with possibly a rib fracture...that would be the _best_ case scenario. At worst, she'd might be in a coma. Lincoln even looked like he wanted to throttle her. But to Lynn's surprise, Lincoln kept himself calm and held an indifferent tone. The sporty girl could've used this opportunity to tell Lincoln she was sorry, that she was greatly regretful for labeling him as bad luck because she couldn't handle a single loss and for falsely telling him that she never wanted a brother. She even wanted to hug him and pour her heart out for being a crappy sister. Instead, the sudden meeting let the words die in her throat and made her run away before things got hairy.

Lynn felt saddened that she turned tail and ran before she could've found the courage to speak to Lincoln properly. As she knew it, a chance meeting like this wouldn't come up again, and she blew it. The athlete wished she didn't feel like such a damn coward and to rise up to the challenge of seeing Lincoln again. The problem was, she was neck deep in guilt. The brunette still felt largely responsible for breaking her family apart and driving her brother into a rage. Lynn sniffled a bit as she continued her walk home, a few tears rolling down her cheeks. She moved slower than normal, that sprint having taken a lot of her more than she thought. Part of this was due to the fact she hadn't been sleeping at night, and because Lynn wasn't taking in her proper daily energy consumption. When dinner came around, she barely ate much, just enough to get rid of the grumbling in her stomach, but she didn't eat much at breakfast or lunch either. Lucy, Leni, and even Luna had began to notice, but she always told them she was fine.

Unfortunately for her, Lynn didn't expect her parents to also be taking note of her new personality.

 **A/N: Well, that chance meeting surely got Lynn's adrenaline running. But she'll get another chance to talk with Lincoln in the future. As for the other characters, yes Bratty kid will have a role to play, and I have heard of this theory of Carol possibly being his sister. Considering that his mother appeared at Maggie's party, and there's a blonde teen with a similar hair color to him, she could be another sister to him. But, what kind of plan does Chandler have? We'll see. Not like he'll get to do much any time soon though.**

 **Also, tough luck for Cristina, but she had her chance.**


	14. Internal Pain

**A/N: College is back in full swing so clearly my update schedule is erratic again. Not only that, even when I have time to type, I just don't have the urge to do it. Kinda hate myself for it, but eh. Anyways, let's shift focus away from Lincoln for a moment and see what's been going on with the other parts of the family.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

After her chance, and relatively short, meeting with Lincoln and Ronnie Anne, the family athlete finally reached Casa-Loud. Seeing that Vanzilla was still absent, Lynn knew her parents were at work. She was glad for that, as Lynn wasn't in the mood to play twenty questions as to how she was feeling. While the other girls seemed to be more optimistic about their chances of bringing the family together again, the jock was still rather cynical about it. She didn't openly weep in front of her family (besides Pop-Pop), her depression was quite obvious despite repeatedly denying that something was wrong with her. Noting her reflection, she saw that her hair was a little disheveled from bumping into her brother. Fixing it up, Lynn opened the door and shuffled inside.

Luan was sitting on the couch reading over some geometry homework, as well as thinking up some puns related to the subject. Lifting her head upon hearing the door open, "Hey Lynn."

"Hey..." Lynn gaze a half-interested gaze at the comedian.

The 14 year old took note of the slight pink in Lynn's eyes as well as the younger girl's posture. She looked as if Lucy suddenly appeared behind her with a hockey mask and chainsaw. "...You ok?"

"I'm fine Luan..." Was all the jock said before shuffling her backpack and walked to the kitchen.

She should've expected that response. Luan didn't like seeing any of her family members sad, even though she understood the reasoning behind it. But at this point, she didn't want to press her luck again. While everyone was beginning to see hope for the only Loud boy to return, Luan tried to get Lynn on the same boat. However, this endeavor failed miserably. She tried telling jokes, only to get an annoyed groan in response. She tried her typical stand-up routines, but this just seemed to piss off the younger teen. Before the comedian could try anything else, she had to duck out of Lynn and Lucy's room as the sports lover threw several sports balls and a bat at her. And this happened yesterday.

Lynn came back from the kitchen with a bottled water in her hand before climbing up the steps. She could hear the twins through the open door of their bedroom, but didn't bother peeking in. She opened the door to her room and wasn't surprised to see Lucy nowhere in site.

"She's probably in the vents again..." The jock muttered.

The 13 year old looked at her bed, as if it was calling to her. The lack of sleep over the past few days wasn't helping matters, but she could hardly find herself getting any rest. Since her nightmare, she lied awake on her bed every night, thinking about where she went wrong and how she was likely the worst sister on the planet. If she ever got to the point where she finally got tired enough to shut her eyes, said thoughts would continue to plague her throughout the night, robbing her of any chance of any actual rest.

She lied down on the bed regardless, not to sleep, but because she had homework to do.

* * *

Hours passed as the rest of the family had returned. Lori could be seen texting on her phone, Leni was looking up mattresses on the computer, Luna and Luan were still putting the finishing touches to their little project, and for the first time in a while, the twins weren't arguing with each other. The parents came home around 5, with Lynn Sr. prepping dinner like usual and Rita helping Leni in picking out a mattress for the bed. They had plenty of twin-bed mattresses to choose from on Mattress Firm's website, but Leni's indecisiveness was making it rather difficult.

"Ooh, Lincoln would totes like this one." Seconds later, she'd change her mind. "No wait! This one would totally suit his new bed. But what about this one...mom how soft do you think this one is?" Leni pointed at the screen.

"Hard to say dear. The mattress me and your father sleep on is made of polyester, cotton, and polyurethane molding."

Leni looked a little lost at this. "Basically Memory Foam mattress sweetie."

"Ooh, but wait, how does a bed keep your memories?"

"The foam in the mattress shapes to the way you sleep dear."

"What?! I didn't know how you sleep matters! I've been totally under-dressed the whole time!"

Rita gave a small laugh at her daughter's reaction. "Look Leni, how about after school I take you to the mattress store so we can pick one out for him?"

"Like, ok." Leni smiled.

"Family! Dinner time!" The Loud patriarch shouted as he carried tonight's dinner into the dining room. As slated on the evening meal schedule, he was serving up meatballs today.

A chorus of feet was heard stampeding into the room to take part in another delicacy made by the chef of the house. Lynn looked around as he noted everyone's seat position. As usual so far, Lincoln's seat was empty as Albert went back to his retirement home yesterday. The elder man told the parents he found Lincoln and had a chat with him, assuring the two adults that the boy was considering forgiving them all. However, Albert made it clear that both Rita and Lynn himself would need to have a long chat with their son about his place in the family once they figure out how to regain his trust. As the father scanned his now eating family, he frowned as one other seat was empty...Juniors...

This was the third time that Lynn hadn't come down. Not that it would be surprising since the father knew she was taking the whole situation pretty hard. However, it was rather jarring that she wouldn't even join the family in eating her favorite meal. Sure, he could understand Junior not liking Succotash and Fish Fry, and she probably wasn't in the mood for Salisbury Steak yesterday. But when you have a daughter who can chew threw meatballs subs like a wood chipper, you'd think even with her being upset, she'd still enjoy the taste, or at least eat them as a means of comfort.

Giving a small sigh, "Lucy, could you-"

"Don't worry. I'll get her." The 8 year old stated before he finished.

Lucy briskly walked up the stairs towards her room, her stomach nagging her for cutting its feeding time short. At this point, it was almost self-voluntary that she was the one to coax Lynn down to eat. The other sisters had opted to do it as well, but since the emo shared the same room as the sports lover, she was likely closer to Lynn than the others. In the past, any attempts to get Lynn to come out ended with the brunette refusing to come down and Lucy giving up. But not this time. When someone in the house skipped out on their favorite meal, clearly something was up. And Lucy intended to get the stubborn athlete out of their room whether she wanted to come willingly or not.

Seeing that the door was closed, Lucy knocked first. "Lynn?" Not getting an answer, the 8 year old poked her head in, spotting the teen reading a book with a tired expression on her face. Fangs was once again sitting on top of Lynn's head, peering at the same book. Either she didn't seem to notice, or she just didn't care. No matter how many times Lucy was used to seeing this, it still bothered her to see Lynn so unlike herself.

"Lynn, it's time to eat."

"I'm not really hungry Luce..."

Lucy gave a larger frown. "You always say that, but I often hear your stomach beckoning that you give it sustenance."

"I just don't feel hungry Lucy. Is that too much for me to say?" Lynn replied, growing irritated.

"Not even for your favorite meal? You know dad serves meatballs every Monday."

The mere mention of it made Lynn's stomach gurgle loudly. Lucy had to fight the urge to give even the slightest smile at this. However, the brunette chose to remain indignant, as usual. "I...I think I'll pass..."

"Sigh...look Lynn, I know you're taking this harder than the rest of us, but destroying yourself isn't going to make things better."

Lynn shot a glare at her roommate. The sudden movement forced Fangs to fly off her head and onto Lucy's. "Who said I was?"

"Lynn, you can't lie to me. I can _feel_ the darkness and misery radiating off you. Actually, I wouldn't even need to feel it because it's clear as day." The younger sibling stated monotonously. "It doesn't take a genius to figure it out, as everyone knows you're depressed about Lincoln's absence. It's _very_ obvious that you blame yourself for everything that's happened and wish to receive punishment. The guilt is eating at you to the point you can't eat, sleep, or even function properly during the day. Don't think I haven't noticed how slow you walk when you should be walking like you have some purpose. Not only that, your appearance looks as if someone is suffering a slow, decaying death."

The teen was about to open her mouth to form a retort, but her exhaustion made that task a chore. Not only that, no matter how much Lynn could deny it, Lucy read her like an open book. It was foolish to think she could fool someone who experiences depression on a daily basis. Glancing up at the large mirror in the room, Lynn could see herself in all her former glory: bags under her tired eyes, said eyes were slightly red from lack of sleep, her hair was still a little out of place, and to add on to the list, she swore her skin looked slightly paler than usual. Although she looked far from it, Lynn thought she almost looked like a living corpse.

Staring at her bed sheets in defeat, "...That's because I deserve it Lucy...everything was my fault...if I had just took my frustration out on something other than my own brother, none of this would've happened...I know you'll say that Lincoln had a part in it too by spreading that lie, but if I hadn't called him bad luck in the first place, he wouldn't have gotten that idea in his head...I haven't even been able to look at myself in the mirror 'til now, cause all I see is a sore loser who was too immature to responsibility and instead blamed others for their own failures they had no influence on the outcome...I barely eat because I feel sick to my stomach thinking about it all..."

Lucy calmly petted Fangs on his head. "And I'm assuming your lack of sleep is due to that nightmare you had?"

The athlete gave a small nod. "I can't have any nightmares if I don't sleep, but I can still hear that taunting voice in my head..."

"So what happened Lynn? When you first had that nightmare, you still had that somewhat annoying flare to you when you first got your crutches. Sorry for saying that, but I'm being honest. Then over the past few days, you started falling into the pit of despair with nothing but hopelessness and woe to comfort you." Lucy looked at the floor for a moment. "It's...it's actually scaring me to see you becoming like myself...so what happened to you? The _OLD_ you?..."

Lynn flipped around so she was on her back. "...She died the moment she had time to reflect on everything...I doubt anything I do will make Lincoln forgive me for what I did..."

"That's where you're wrong."

Lynn tilted her head up and looked at the emo in confusion. "Huh?"

"You aren't the only person to blame for what happened. While it's true that you were a partial catalyst in the suffering we are enduring currently, you shouldn't shoulder all of the blame." Lucy sat her on sister's bed. "You're forgetting that _ALL_ of us are at fault for how we ended up treating Lincoln. Yes, he had used the whole 'luck' fib to his advantage, but we ended up taking things so far to the point he felt betrayed by those he loved. Each of us is regretful that the good times we've had with our brother seems to mean nothing now that we cast him out like he hasn't been in our lives for 11 years...in my case, it makes me feel like a mouse when he reminded me of a noble deed he did when the toilet was clogged..."

"What are you talking about? He always bombs the toilet."

Lucy shook her head. "In other cases, yes, but not the time he had that convention that weekend...that book actually belonged to me...I was too afraid about getting teased by you guys that Lincoln took the fall for me...he was rightfully less than pleased when I found him in the library on Friday, and his very words were 'had I known you'd kick me to the curb like the rest of my so-called family, I would've just let you admit the truth'..." Lucy stared at the floor in sorrow. "He even said he might have laughed at me too...as for our parents, I recall the time they said they wouldn't kick any of us out of the house. Imagine how they must feel right now, having to live with that broken promise."

Lynn stared at the ceiling with a frown.

"But despite all of that, if Lincoln truly felt we were beyond forgiveness, he would've ratted us out to the cops. He wouldn't have given us the chance to make it up to him." The black-haired child put a cold hand on Lynn's forehead. "So please Lynn, I know you're drowning in guilt, but don't do it alone. We're your family you know, and we're all in the same boat."

"...I saw him today..."

Lucy lifted her head a bit in surprise. From her position, Lynn could see the shock in her roommate's eyes. "You did?"

"Well...actually I bumped into him...he looked ready to beat me to death Lucy. I could see the hate forming on his face as he glared at me while I was on the ground...he could've totally dominated me and there would've been little I could do to stop him. But instead of hurting me...he calmed himself down and asked me how my foot was doing...then I asked him if he was doing ok, which he said 'good', then I just bolted out of there...I don't know what stopped him. Maybe it's the fact he forgave the twins or something, I don't know..."

"Or, he saw the damage he did to you and opted not to attack. It was the first time you've both seen each other since...Thursday right?"

"Yeah...would you believe me if I told you that meeting Lincoln like that made me more scared than the times you constantly pop out of nowhere?"

"After seeing that level of focused rage twice, I believe you."

"...Lincoln used to get really nervous any time I would threaten him...now I know how he feels..." Lynn rubbed her nose. "But in a strange way...somewhere inside me feels proud of him."

"How's so?" The 8 year old asked.

"I've always wanted to see him stand up for himself, at least prove he can handle his own business...wish it was under an _ENTIRELY_ different situation though..." Lynn's stomach growled again, asking her when she was going to get up off her butt and feed it. "Ugh...you know what, fine. I'll eat something." She sat up on the bed and hugged her little sister. "Thanks for the talk Luce..."

Lucy returned it, giving a faint smile. However, that moment was ruined when a pungent smell hit her nose. "Gross..."

"What?"

"When was the last time you showered?..."

* * *

By the time Lynn and Lucy came down, most of the family was just about finished eating. Only the parents, Lisa, and Lily were still at the table. The former two were there due to concern for the two girls since they were upstairs for 22 minutes, while the toddler was trying to help feed Lily since she wouldn't stop playing with her food. It was rather cute to see, as Lisa didn't do this quite often. When it was up to the kids to feed her, Luna or Lincoln would be tasked with this job. But since the former was busy and latter was...absent...Lisa was given this important job. And boy was it adorable. The toddler had difficulty trying to get Lily to sit still for a moment so she'd eat a meatball. The infant responded by getting sauce on the prodigy's glasses, giggling while doing so. Lisa kept a stoic face as she removed her eye-ware for cleaning.

The parents found themselves smiling at the site, but then shifted focus to their two other daughters. Whatever Lucy did to coax Lynn to join them, they were very grateful for it. Upon asking what they missed, Lynn Sr. went on and told them that the other girls' days were more or less the same, though Lana had a pretty interesting day. A few of her classmates congratulated her for sticking up for her brother, as well as saying she had a pretty cool bro given how Lincoln wholeheartedly returned the favor. As for the parents, Rita went on too discuss hoe she had the misfortune of inspecting Chandler's mouth, earning disgruntled looks from the two. Lynn made a comment saying she should've pulled a few more teeth out, but Rita stated she had to do her job regardless of who was in the chair. When asked the same question, Lucy stated her day was depressing as usual. With Lynn, thanks to the talk she had with Lucy, she was more willing to open up to her parents.

She told them everything, from her not feeling too well throughout the day to bumping into Lincoln while she was walking home. The last part caught everyone sans Lucy by surprise, their nervousness very clear since both Lincoln and Lynn departed on a sour note. However, Lynn eased their worries by first stating that they didn't get into another fight. While she was immensely scared, Lincoln kept himself calm and spoke with indifference. This gave the parents some hope that Lincoln really was beginning to come around, but as far as anyone knew, the adults felt they were still a long way off before their son would even consider returning home. But the least they could do, was try to initiate some form of contact. Hopefully, Lincoln didn't block their phone numbers.

Elsewhere in Royal Woods, another set of kids were going about their daily business. Inside a medium-sized two story house, Conner was sitting on his bed, button mashing the controls of the game system he was playing. He had been playing Muscle Fish on multiplayer for the last hour and was growing more and more frustrated by the frequent losses he accumulated against some user named AceSavvyFan11.

"Come on, come on come on come on! This has to work!" The blonde said in near anger.

He tried another combo move against his opponent, who managed to block it to reduce the damage it would've taken. Then, said opponent used their special move and finished his character. The 'DEFEAT' logo flashed on screen in bold red, as if it was mocking the child. With his irritation boiling over, Conner went into a series of rants on how he ended up losing.

A knock on his door made him quiet down. "Yeah?"

The 11 year old was met with an irritated look from his oldest sister. "Conner, you really should be careful when you swear like that. You know mom and dad will ground you again." Carol stated.

"Sorry...but this game just _REALLY_ gets to me..."

"Why don't you just play single player, or co-op?"

"Single player is boring, and co-op isn't as fun as kicking the butts of other players."

"And yet you just got yours kicked and you're whining like a baby." The elder blonde smirked.

"Was not!" Conner fumed, blushing slightly.

Carol just gave a bigger smile before ruffling her brother's hair. "Here. Let's play co-op and I'll show you it's not that boring."

The boy could only grumble as his sister picked up a second controller. After five minutes of playing time, they were both heavily focused on trying to get past a rather frustrating level. "Ugh! The timing of these fryers is so off!" The teen groaned.

"I know right?..." Conner sat in silence for a moment, his fingers fiddling with the controls. "Hey sis..."

"Hmm?"

"You know those days when you come home looking mad about something, what was that about?"

"There's this girl named Lori who keeps giving me rude comments. People say we look like sisters, but I don't see the resemblance. I remember a couple times Lori's sister, Leni, had mistaken me for her. But the thing is, I don't know even know _what_ I did to get on Lori's bad side. Maybe, it was because I won Homecoming Queen last semester and she didn't. If that's it, then how am I supposed to apologize for something EVERYONE voted on? If it's not, then I don't know what her problem is. I just try to ignore it, but she always gives me this scornful look anytime we happen to look at each other. Doesn't help that occasionally I hear her talking about me behind my back."

Conner glanced at his sister. "Doesn't that count as bullying?"

"No. She hasn't done anything physically, or on the Internet. But if it does come to that I might have to-YES! Finally!" Carol shouted in joy as she managed to get to the end of the level. Conner's character had died due to a mistimed jump.

Conner smiled a little bit at the slight elation of having beaten a rather difficult part of the game, even if it was his sister than carried them to the objective.

"So why did you ask that?" Carol asked.

"Um...just something on my mind. And uh, here's another question...if you were about to do something you'd probably regret later, would you still do it?"

Carol looked at her brother in silence, wondering what brought this on. "Conner...is someone messing with you in school?"

"What?! No! You know I haven't had a bully since the first grade."

"Then why would you ask that? It's not just a random question that pops up out of the blue you know..." The teen said, a frown forming on her face.

Conner sweated a little. He could let his sister know of the little deal he made with Chandler, but that would add more fuel to the fire (and get himself in serious trouble). Instead, he decided to steer the question back to Carol's issue with Lori. "I mean, you're fairly nice and all, so I don't see how someone like you could make enemies. What I'm saying is, if you got to the point where you had punch Lori in the face, would you do it?"

Carol hummed in thought. While she may have issues with Lori school-wise, they hardly interact outside of the education system. In fact, Lori had barely given her any issues over the last couple of days, so the chances of them fighting were very unlikely. The blonde wasn't really a fighter, as she firmly believed violence doesn't solve anything. She couldn't even see herself slapping someone, but rather telling them off. Still, Conner did have a point.

"...To be honest, I'm not sure. The first thing I'd do is just chew her out for being needlessly mean, but if I had to _actually_ hit her...maybe I'd just slap her, but I don't know what good that would do."

"But what if you had to actually go to town on her?"

"Like I said Conner, I don't know. It'd probably just be in the heat of the moment."

...Baby..." The boy muttered.

Carol looked at Conner in irritation. "What was that?"

"I said you're a baby. I mean, who would be afraid to hit someone if they wholly deserved it?"

"Oh I'll show you whose the real baby in this house." Carol said with a sinister grin.

The 11 year old realized what this meant. "Carol, no. Don't you dare-!" Was all Conner said before Carol jumped him, making him erupt into a laughing fit as she tickled his sides.

"Say you're the baby!"

"N-Never!" The little blonde replied, laughing his head off.

"Say it or I'll start on your feet!" Carol teased.

"O-OK OK I'm the baby! I'm the baby! J-Just not the feet!" Conner shouted, almost out of breath.

Satisfied, the teen stopped. "And don't you forget it bro." She pecked him on his forehead, much to the boy's annoyance. Looking at the clock, Carol was surprised by the time. "Wow, it's 9:30 already?"

"Game time moves slower than real time. Everyone knows that." Conner stated as if it was fact.

Carol just shrugged. "Eh, whatever. I'm gonna get ready for bed." Without another word, the teen walked out the room, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

In the Santiago house, Lincoln held a triumphant smirk as he crushed yet another opponent on the Muscle Fish game he brought with him. If you looked at the top of his health bar, the name 'AceSavvyFan11' stood out in bold letters. The boy started to laugh as said opponent rage quit after getting their character schooled for the fifth time tonight.

"And another one down, and another one down, and another one bites the dust!" Lincoln sang as he started doing a victory dance.

"Well, you can wreck people in Muscle Fish, but you can't be me in Turbo Blasters XXI." Ronnie Anne smirked.

"But I managed to beat you in Dance Dance Revolution." Lincoln replied.

"Then you came in 4th place in Mario Kart 8, right before the finish line on the _last lap_." The Hispanic Girl laughed.

"Curse you blue shells...you know that they tend to ruin friendships right?" Lincoln grumbled. He really hated how those things suddenly pop up behind him when he's in the lead, especially when he didn't have anything to block it.

"Yeah, but they won't ruin this one. Even though _I'm_ the one that fired it." Ronalda laughed. Their stint at the arcade helped Lincoln take his mind off their encounter with Lynn, but Ronalda could tell it still lingered in his mind from the way he would temporarily slip into deep thought. However, it didn't seem to bother the platinum haired child for long.

"You know I'm gonna want a rematch for that."

"So you can get your butt kicked again?" The smug grin on her face said it all.

Lincoln returned the gesture. "I'm not the one who got mad when you lost in those two other games."

"T-That's because the game was glitching!"

"My sore arm says otherwise."

Ronalda grew irate. Naturally, she wasn't a fan of losing, especially when someone was right and called out her excuse. Looking at Lincoln's game, she gave a smug grin. "Bet I can beat you in your stupid game."

Lincoln grew surprised at the girl's accusation, but put on his bravado. "Really? You think you can beat mwah at the most classic game in history?"

"Oh I can, unless you're afraid of getting your butt whooped."

Lincoln gave a small chuckle. "I bet I can get a flawless victory."

"Really, then let's make this interesting. If you win, I'll make you a full stack of waffles with your name on it."

The chipped tooth child could feel his mouth beginning to water at mention of a decent breakfast. Ronalda started to think of what she could get out of this if she won. She could have Lincoln do something embarrassing, but that would be too easy. Plus, it would be the last thing Lincoln needed with his life being a mixed bag right now. However, maybe there was something he could do, not only as a confidence booster, but also because she figured the nerd could learn to keep proper balance.

Lincoln grew nervous as he saw Ronnie Anne form a devilish smirk. "Um...Ronalda?"

"If I win, I'm teaching you how to skateboard."

Memories of last Friday morning crept into Lincoln's mind. _"Oh_ _man...what did I get myself into?"_ He spoke in his mind. Why would Ronnie Anne want to teach him how to use a board? He knew how to handle himself on a bike, but skateboarding? Was she going to enjoy seeing him fall on his face? He silently prayed for the gaming gods to be on his side. Otherwise, he was in for a long day ahead.

 **A/N: And that covers Lynn's feelings as well an inside look on a couple characters that are rarely mentioned. I'll admit, this chapter was more filler than anything worth noting, besides Lynn's clear signs of depression and coping with it. But what will Lincoln's parents say to him when they decide to call? After all, they haven't spoken to him since chapter 4.**


	15. A Not So Family-Friendly Discussion

**A/N: Aside from the filler from the previous chapter, half of which dealt with Lynn's pain, this one will get a little more intense. In today's reading, we will put a bit of focus on the Santiago parents. If you haven't noticed so far, they haven't questioned Lincoln as to why he's stayed over at their house for this long. While Lincoln is a nice kid, it's not like he can stay there forever.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

As Lincoln and Ronnie Anne engaged in their little gaming challenge, Maria silently watched the two from the hallway, already dressed in her nightwear. The nurse was quite happy to see the two get along so well, especially since she remembered the two kids weren't exactly on good terms some months prior. However, despite how nice it was to have Lincoln around, she couldn't help but wonder one glaring question...why hasn't he gone back to his home yet? Granted, she knew it was due to some family issue, and she wasn't surprised about him bringing some of his stuff over. But being that it was Monday, one would think whatever issues he had would have been resolved by now. Turning around, the Hispanic woman walked to the master bedroom, where her husband was lying on the bed staring at the TV. She closed the door so what they were about to discuss wouldn't spill out into the hallway.

"Marcus."

The man looked at her. "Hmm?"

"Do you think something very...odd may have happened to Lincoln when he first arrived at our doorstep?"

"Well..." Marcus rubbed his nose. "Clearly he got into some kind of fight. Maybe it was probably with one of his siblings or something. I mean," He gave a chuckle, "Myself and mi hermano would go at it occasionally to the point we couldn't stay in the same house for a while." He turned to her. "But in the end, we only stayed at our friend's houses for like, what, two days?"

Maria folded her arms. "That's my point. Lincoln's been here since _Thursday_. It's Monday now, and I'm not sure how long he plans on staying here." She walked over and lied down on the other side of the bed. "I thought it'd just be a weekend deal and he would've been gone by Sunday. The fact he's still here is telling me that whatever happened to him on that night, he hasn't told us the full story..."

Marcus scratched his stomach. "Well you checked on him when he first got here. Did you figure out what he butted heads with?"

The woman nodded. "He had bite marks on his hand, and the teeth pattern suggested that they were from another human."

"So, is he gonna turn into a zombie?" The man joked.

Maria looked at her husband in annoyance before lightly slapping the side of his head. "No miel. One of his siblings likely bit him there."

"How many did Roberto say Lincoln had?"

"Ten."

That took the man by surprise. "Well, guess someone was busy in the baby factory."

"Either way, I think it would be best if we call his parents and ask them." Maria shifted a little on the bed. "I'm actually surprised they haven't called us or anything."

Marcus gave a shrug. "Well, if they haven't called then they obviously know he's over here. I don't think they mind him staying an extra day, but you're right, we ought to call them. Or, we could have a chat with Lincoln," He turned to turn off the bedside lamp. "Tomorrow that is. I gotta get up early..."

Maria looked at him for a moment before setting her sights on the TV. Nothing interesting was on, just some re-run of Seinfeld. Both parents didn't have anything else they wanted, or needed, to do for the evening, so they were content on just laying there until they fell asleep. Back in the living room, things were getting heated up in Ronalda and Lincoln's game challenge. The boy thought he would've whooped her character by now, but the little Latina had some tricks up her sleeve that were proving to be a strong resistance. Their thumbs moved in a frenzy on the control pads as they kept their eyes glued intently to the screen. Lincoln bit his tongue in excitement while Ronalda bit her lower lip. Over the course of one match, Lincoln won the first round easily but Ronnie Anne won the second. Both were now in the third round, their characters had a sliver of health left, enough to be finished off in one more move.

"Hope you're ready to be cooking tomorrow morning!" Lincoln gave a wide smirk. "Cause you're going DOWN!"

In response, Ronalda shook her head, sliding her thumb across her neck. _"Oh we'll see whose going down Lame-O."_ She said in her mind.

Lincoln made the first move, going in for mid-heavy downward thrust. But to his dismay, Ronalda pressed a couple buttons at the right moment and managed to block it. Not only that, said block also put Lincoln's character in a daze. The boy's eyes became the size of hubcaps, before he frowned worryingly as he frantically pressed buttons to try and break out of the stun. Ronalda gave a wide smile as she pressed a series of buttons in a combo. Time seemed to slow down for Lincoln as he watched in utter horror as his character was utterly obliterated by the special move Ronalda's character unleashed.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Lincoln shouted in sadness as 'Player 2 Wins!' flashed on the screen.

Ronalda cheered and started doing a small victory dance. "Oh yeah! Whose bad?! Uh huh uh huh uh huh!"

Lincoln slumped to the floor. "How...how did I lose?..." He spoke in a defeated tone.

Ronnie Anne gave a hearty laugh. "Ah come on, stop being a baby Lame-O. You did well...until I kicked your butt." She laughed even more, making the boy grumble in irritation.

"I'm so not looking forward to being on a skateboard..."

The Hispanic girl wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Trust me, it's not that bad. You'll get the hang of it...after falling on your face a couple times." She slapped him on the back a couple times.

Lincoln formed a frown as he looked at his friend. "You mean when you nearly hit the pavement on Saturday?"

The tomboy gave a shrug. "It's still a work in progress. But, I'll make a pro skateboarder out of you yet." She smiled.

"It could also be a good bonding experience for you both." Roberto quipped suggestively as he went in the kitchen for a bottle of water.

Both kids' cheeks reddened at the way he phrased it, such an occurrence hadn't come to their minds until now.

Ronalda covered her face to hide her growing blush. "Dang it Bobby..."

* * *

As the evening dragged on well into the dead of night, not a soul was awake around midnight as the Sand Man moseyed along to put everyone on the path to slumber. Inside the Loud house, all of the lights were turned off as the occupants caught up on their sleeping patterns. Snores could be heard from the various rooms, or in the case of a certain musician and comedian, loud music and sleep puns. Inside Lola and Lana's room, the former wore her usual sleep mask to bed (much like Leni does), snoring loud enough to at times make Lana's pets slightly disturbed. As for the former, with Lincoln having forgiven her for her actions, she seemed content tonight. Previously, she would fidget in her sleep until she finally cried out Lincoln's name, tears appearing in her eyes. But tonight, the muddy child lied sprawled out on her bedspread, producing farts equally as loud as Lola's snoring.

In the room next to theirs, a certain emo and jock were also sleeping. Well, at least one was. Lucy had her arms folded across her frame, her hands griping her shoulders as if she was sleeping in a coffin. The 8 year old gave a soft snore every now and then. Her bats were absent as she let them out to do their nightly feeding of insects. Across from her, Lynn lied awake as she had on previous nights. It seems the Sand Man didn't blast her enough. But unlike the last few times, the tomboy wasn't awake due to not wanting to suffer another night terror. Instead, she was still debating on what herself and Lucy talked about hours ago along with how she felt about Lincoln's reaction to their meeting.

 _"If Lincoln truly felt we were beyond forgiveness, he wouldn't have given us the chance to make it up to him."_

Lynn looked at Lucy as that same phrase played in her mind in a loop. She couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy flash in her mind. Lucy was usually depressed all the time, so stuff like this wouldn't keep her up at night when she wanted to sleep. Pretty ironic that for someone who loves the thought of being a vampire, she doesn't stay up past 10 p.m. Giving a small sigh, Lynn shifted a bit under the sheets to get more comfortable, being careful not to agitate her foot wound. In the past, she'd bounce a tennis ball against the wall until she finally fell asleep; but since she effectively refused to even touch her sporting equipment, that solution was out the window. Instead, Lynn decided to stare blankly at the wall until her mind got bored enough to stop thinking and shut down. As if some unspoken prayer came to her, the jock felt her eyelids become heavy before they shut themselves entirely. She was out like a light in seconds.

What seemed like hours later, Lynn had awoken, needing to use the bathroom. Grabbing her crutches, she crept through the hallway as quiet as possible so she wouldn't disturb anyone. It felt a little strange how eerily quiet it was at this time of night. After doing her business, she exited and made her way back to her room. However, as she passed the stairs, the sound of feet shuffling got her attention. As far as she knew, everyone was still asleep. Even all of the doors were still closed. It could've been one of her parents getting a late night snack, or...Lynn's heart sank as a more dreadful thought came to bear. Someone might have broken into the house...

Dad always told the kids he wanted them to learn to lock the doors at night. The front door might have been locked, but the kitchen door probably wasn't. Given that she was possibly the only one awake, it was up to her to defend the house. The jock looked at her crutches for a brief second, figuring she could use them as weapons. Putting them in one hand, Lynn quietly made her way down the stairs, wincing every time she stepped on a spot that caused them to creak. Each time this happened, her breath hitched as she thought the intruder might have noticed her presence. Thankfully, no one came out to greet her.

As Lynn got a clear view of the living, she could see a shadow rummaging through some books near the fireplace. The person looked kind of small, around her height. She expected someone taller, but it didn't matter at this point. Whoever this person was, they were going to regret breaking into Casa-Loud. The 13 year old crept behind the person until she was within striking distance.

"Alright buddy! Hands were I can see them!" The jock shouted, holding her crutches like a bat.

The person didn't comply. In fact, all they did was laugh. "That any way to treat your brother? Then again, I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Lynn..."

Lynn's heart sank to her stomach, the look of bewilderment etched on her face as she dropped her improvised weapon. "L-Lincoln?..."

Turning around, the person stepped into light illuminated from the window. Indeed, it was Lincoln. He had a photo album in his hands as he was looking through it.

Lynn shook her head as the shock began to wear off. "Lincoln...w-what are you doing here? I-I thought you weren't gonna come back until we earned your forgiveness..."

Lincoln sat on the couch, continuing to look through family photos. "Well, I did imply that. But actually, I had forgave everyone, including mom and dad. And trust me, being around them was as awkward as you'd think..."

Lynn stood there for a moment, rather hesitant to get near the boy. She didn't want him to attack her, given that he seemed close to doing so earlier that day. However, it seemed that Lincoln was just too preoccupied to do much of anything else. After another moment, the athlete gingerly walked up to him, leaning down to see what he was looking at. The album he chose consisted of pictures containing both himself and Lynn, from their infancy to their current ages. Lincoln even smiled a few times as his eyes scanned over the photos, fond memories returning to his brain. To Lynn though, things just weren't adding up. Lincoln hadn't been to the house in 4 days, and he outright refused to be anywhere near the damn place until the whole family had earned his forgiveness. In fact, just yesterday that he had only forgiven the twins.

Lynn rubbed her arm nervously. "Lincoln..."

"Hmm?" The boy replied in a disinterested tone.

"You said you forgave everyone, y-yet you weren't here just hours ago...I don't understand..."

"Well..." Lincoln slammed the book shut. "Technically I haven't forgiven _everyone_. There's only one person who hasn't earned my forgiveness...can you guess who it is?" He looked at Lynn with indifference.

A knot formed in the teen's stomach. "...M-Me?..."

Lincoln nodded. "I may not be living here until I've forgiven everyone, but that doesn't mean I won't visit from time to time." He tossed the book onto the coffee table. "I was looking through that album to see if I could try to convince myself to love you again like I had with everyone else, but that clearly didn't work." He stood up.

"W-What do you mean?"

"All of those fond memories we used to have as little kids, the times we had fun together, even long before this crap started..." The white haired child looked at Lynn with a harsh glare. "I'm constantly reminded how little all of this meant to you the moment you thought I was an obstacle to your 'winning streak'." He quoted with his fingers.

Lynn visibly shrunk under that accusation. "L-Look Lincoln. I'm sorry about all of that ok? I was...I was just so upset at the loss that I lashed out at someone I shouldn't have..."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have..."

"B-But, I want the chance to make it up to you Lincoln...I...I just don't know how..." Lynn stared at the floor.

Lincoln gave a heavy sigh, his gaze softening. "That's the thing Lynn...you can't..."

The jock's eyes widened. "B-B-But-" She stammered.

"Lynn...no matter what you do or say, it won't be enough to make me forgive you..." Lincoln stared out the window, clasping his hands behind his back. "I used to think you were the best sister I could ever have. We were pretty close even...I used to enjoy all the times we even rough-housed together, at least when I actually _felt_ like it..." He looked back at her. "But that all changed the moment you decided that following your dumb superstitions was more important than treating a fellow member of this family with respect...I may have did my part in spreading that fib, but it was _YOU_ who refused to believe me when I actually told the truth, and our family was quick to take your side...any time I see you now is a constant reminder of that mistake, but at least they learned their lesson." Lincoln turned to the door. "With you though...at this point I can't believe you're even my sister...and that's why I can't live here..." The boy walked over to the front door.

Lynn was on the verge of tearing at this point. "No Lincoln! Please! J-Just give me a chance!..." Her broken voice was evident enough.

Lincoln turned to her with an annoyed look. "Goodbye Lynn..."

"No, Lincoln! Wait!" The door slammed shut. Lynn rushed to the entrance and swung the door open. She looked to and fro, but her brother disappeared. "D-Don't g-go..." The athlete slumped to the ground, crying her eyes out. She wanted to make things right, but now she knows that, with her being around the house, there was no way Lincoln would ever return...the teen hugged her knees as she continued to cry, only to be interrupted when a loud ringing reached her ears.

Lynn's eyes flew open to find herself lying in her bed, the clock on her nightstand beeping. She could also hear several other alarms ringing throughout the house. The brunette blinked a few times as her eyes were still watery. Touching her face, she saw her fingers were covered in tear stains.

"I-It was...a dream?..." The jock's mind was trying to register that fact, but it felt so real to her...a few more tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued to lie there in sadness.

On the other side of the room, Lucy finally grew tired of the constant noise and threw her pillow at the clock, knocking it off the nightstand and onto the floor. Thankfully, it ceased its dreaded clamor.

Rubbing her half tired eyes, the 8 year old heard light sobs coming from her roommate. Glancing at her older sister, she called out. "Lynn?...You ok?"

"N-No..." Was the meek reply she got.

Lucy sighed inwardly. "Oh boy..."

* * *

Tuesday went on like any typical mid-day of the week. The kids went through their motions similar to Monday, from Lincoln and Clyde still adjusting to their newly developed popularity (with Ronnie Anne beginning to face scrutiny from other girls as rumors began to spread about herself and Lincoln dating), to the teens and adults who carried on their day as usual. There was one subtle difference today: Chandler was finally cleared to attend school again after having his mouth wired shut due to his injuries. Naturally, anyone he came across gave him stone-cold glares or laughed at his injuries, knowing full well he deserved them. The redhead and Lincoln hadn't interacted at all today, only passing glares at each other from afar.

Chandler absolutely hated how his popularity went down the drain after having let himself get beaten by a nerd. Maybe he shouldn't have flung that little girl like a rag doll. Then again, she started it with her mud flinging. While he was angry at this turn of events, he believed that HE would be the one to get the last laugh with what he was cooking up. He had a Linclone, so all he needed to do was play with people's minds, something that wasn't hard to do when dealing with kids. For now, he'd just take the insults in stride, knowing he'd get his revenge sooner or later. But what the former popular kid forgot he had to contend with, was bullies. To enforce this, as Chandler opened his locker just after lunch, he screamed in terror as a pile of garbage spilled onto him. Nearby, Ronnie Anne was smirking at her handy work.

With Conner, he carried out his day like normal. At times he did see Chandler, even Lincoln, but he kept a low key to all of them. They probably weren't aware that he went to the same school as they did, but it wouldn't be hard to guess since the blonde was their age and Royal Woods didn't exactly have a lot of schools spread out. Between Chandler's petty revenge scheme and Lincoln's ever increasing popularity, the boy knew he would be playing with fire if he got involved, and it'd be worse for him if caught in the middle. His parents always said fire was a destructive tool, not that it didn't stop Conner from setting a few paper towels on fire with the stove every now and then just to see the effects. There was also a chance Chandler might strong-arm Conner into helping him since they had a verbal agreement. But that didn't mean Conner couldn't find a work-around to this ploy. He did still want that $350 the redhead promised him...maybe he could trick that jerk into paying up-front, then set Chandler up to fail...the blonde laughed to himself just thinking about it.

As for Lucy, she couldn't help but feel like her talk with Lynn lead to nowhere. The 13 year old wouldn't talk to her all morning, and she seemed just as mopey as ever. Only silver lining was that the jock actually ate something today. It was clear that Lynn probably had yet another nightmare, but it didn't appear as bad as the last one she had (given that she didn't scream herself awake). Throughout the day, the 8 year old couldn't take her mind off her sister, to the point she had unconsciously wrote out rhymes and verses to a poem about it. It was at this point, that Lucy realized she had something she could give to Lincoln. She hadn't done much about it before, but writing poems was her best trait. She just needed to write something that would not only convince Lincoln how sorry she felt, but also point out how miserable Lynn has been since his departure. The girl's heart ached whenever she recalled how Lincoln grilled her in the library for how much he sacrificed for her sake, and right now, Lucy hoped to God she wouldn't get writer's block. That was always an issue with her whenever she wrote...

With the teens, Leni was looking forward to her trip to the mattress store with Rita after school. Luna also seemed rather excited for some reason. Apparently she and Luan were about finished with their little project, and was sure it would 'rock Lincoln's socks off' in her very words. While the two didn't interact much, Bobby had told Lori about Ronnie Anne planning to teach Lincoln how to ride a skateboard. Lori tempted on how that could be a potential date, but decided not to do much with that since it seemed more like a casual hangout than anything else.

So, the day carried on without much incident. However, no one would be prepared for the sudden shift that was to come...

Around the mid-evening hours, the Santiagos and Lincoln were having dinner again. This time it was Mexican Macaroni Salad. While everyone was silently eating, Marcus and Maria were giving visual cues to one another. It more so a debate on who was going to ask the all important question, but in the end, they decided to ease into it.

"So kids, how was everyone's day?" Maria asked.

Ronalda shrugged. "Eh, the usual. Some girls kept looking at me funny just because I was hanging out with Lincoln."

"Why is that?" The mother asked again.

"Because they're jealous I'm friends with him."

"So someone's a bit of a casanova I see." Marcus chuckled as he gently elbowed Lincoln, making the boy's face turn a light shade of red.

"I-I wouldn't say that..." The boy replied sheepishly.

"Well you did get into that scuffle on Sunday, so I wouldn't be too surprised. You should see what happens in high school when two guys start fighting. Practically half the school looks at it. Personally, I don't seeing that kind of stuff, especially when it's happening in the same hall my locker is on..." Bobby stated.

"Like last week?" The father asked.

"Yeah...there was a dent on the locker next to mine..."

"So, Lincoln..." Maria started. "Have things been resolved at home?"

All three kids nearly spat out their food upon hearing that. Lincoln's breath hitched when he finally registered the question, causing food to go down the wrong pipe. The boy coughed relentlessly to clear his windpipe, Bobby patting him on the back to aid him. After a few seconds, Lincoln spat out a piece of macaroni.

"I'm gonna guess that means no..." Marcus stated.

"Well, I mean," Lincoln cleared his throat. "It's getting better...it's just that it's still not well..." His uneasy tone didn't help.

"Lincoln..." Maria started, putting down her fork. "When you came here Thursday, it's quite clear you were in a fight. The marks on your hand indicated that those bites were from another person. Now, I have reason to believe you ended up getting into a fight with one of your siblings, and the fact you were quick to not want to speak with your family tells us it was it must've been over something very serious..."

"We're just concerned about whether whatever it was that happened at your home will get resolved soon. I mean, we thought you may have been staying for just the weekend, but the fact it's starting to drag into another week..." Marcus paused. "It's nothing against you hijo, but we know that eventually you'll have to go back to your own house..."

Lincoln shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It was true that he hadn't told the Santiago parents everything. He only gave sparse details that things weren't well and he needed some time away. The ashen-haired child felt he couldn't tell them everything because he didn't know them as well he knew Ronnie Anne and Bobby, so the trust factor was a major issue. He still couldn't bear seeing his own family being broken apart, despite saying he'd do so anyway if they failed to regain his trust. However, ever since Ronalda brought him into their home, both parents have shown him nothing but kindness and treated him as if he was their own kin. They were just acting like any concerned and sensible parent.

"You're right...I do have to go back home at some point..." Lincoln started, staring at his plate. "It's just that...right now I really can't...not after what happened over the last week and a while before that..."

Both parents glanced at each other in confusion. "Ok, what happened last week?" Marcus asked.

Lincoln twiddled his fingers. "... You may wanna continue eating, cause it's a long story..."

As the family continued with their dinner, Lincoln told the parents everything that happened so far. The Santiago children heard this story before, so they didn't need a refreshing. Instead, they watched to see how their mother and father would react. The moment Lincoln told them that his family locked him out on the premise he was bad luck, Maria was aghast and appalled by such actions while Marcus looked as if Lincoln sprouted a second head while he had his fork in his mouth. It went without saying that both parents looked as if they were close to flipping the table when Lincoln said he told his family the real truth but they refused to believe him. The boy noted this and told them that it was his fault for lying in the first place, but it did little to ease their sentiments. So he went on about how he managed to get his family to believe he wasn't bad luck anymore via a squirrel suit, which ended up causing more harm than good. Lincoln also made a note on how he regretfully found out that his furniture had been trashed due to them believing it was 'tainted'.

Both parents looked like they wanted to say something but held their tongue as Lincoln wasn't finished. He recalled the whole Squirrel Boy issues, along with stuff that happened to him while wearing the suit, and how his family didn't seem to care much about how he felt. The boy held an indifferent tone at how he eventually grew sick of the treatment and verbally tore his family a new one after he finally got rid of the suit. However, Lincoln couldn't help but form a small glare as he recounted on how he got into a fight with his sister Lynn, which explained his injuries on that night. This seemed to quell the anger of both parents, if only a bit. The rest was history.

"So the next day..." Lincoln continued, twiddling with a spoon. "I met Lucy in the school library and she asked me to come home...I refused to do so until all of them convinced me that they wouldn't let something like this happen again, even pointing out how close I was to calling the cops..." The boy paused for a bit to eat a little. "I still have that option if they try to bring me back before I can trust them again...but I still don't like it...as a message from Lucy, I told her that I had a place to stay at so they don't try looking for me, but I never told them where I really was..."

"Lincoln, if you went through all of that, why didn't you tell us?..." Maria asked.

Lincoln bit his lower lip as he stared at the two adults. "I...I'm sorry I didn't...it's just that I felt I couldn't trust you guys before...I didn't know you both as much as I do with Ronnie Anne and Bobby, and I was worried you guys might end up calling the police on my family..." He rubbed his arm. "I had to look up what kind of charges they would face since I'm not familiar with the legal system...none of them were good." He gave a sigh as he rested his head on the table. "...As much as I don't like my family right now, I don't like the idea of my parents going to jail for 10 years...plus my sisters might get sent to juvie or put in foster care...and I've already forgiven my twins sisters as a start..."

"Well Lincoln," Marcus spoke. "Something like this does deserve the attention of authorities. But let me tell you this: the fact you were about to call the policia but didn't doesn't mean we will. Now, I'm not sure what kind of people your family is to make them think it's perfectly ok to not house a kid over some mierda excuse such as bad luck...but you certainly thought this through. It really says how smart you are as a kid."

Lincoln rubbed the back of his head. "T-Thanks, I guess..."

"Now, you said your family doesn't know of your whereabouts right?" Maria asked, to which Lincoln nodded.

"Well...actually since we're on that subject, they do..." Roberto piped up.

Lincoln looked at Bobby in shock. "What?!"

Roberto raised his hands in defense. "Now bro, before you jump to conclusions, I didn't tell them anything. Lori came to me about why I've been acting distant to her and told me that the girls found out from looking through cameras or something."

Lincoln's eyes shifted as to how his sisters would've found his whereabouts, before he suddenly smacked his forehead. "Lisa's camera's...I forgot about those..."

"If it makes you feel better, Lori said that even though they know where you are, they won't try to force you to come back. They don't want to risk driving you further away from them."

Lincoln stayed silent for a bit. There was no telling how long his sisters had known he was staying with the Santiagos, but since they haven't dropped by or anything, it seemed they were doing well to make sure to stay on his good side. Still, he couldn't help but feel uncertain now that the secret was out.

"Well, since they already know you're here, mind if I call them?" Marcus asked. "Also, what's your house number?"

"Um...sure?" Lincoln replied, not sure on what to do. He gave the Santiago patriarch his number.

Maria grew weary. "Marcus, what are you gonna say?..."

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just gonna talk to them." The father said as he grabbed the house phone.

"Oh boy, here we go." Ronalda muttered.

"What?" The chip-toothed male asked.

"You'll see..." The Hispanic girl answered as she started rolling a couple napkins to stuff in her ears. The preteen handed a couple to Lincoln so he could do the same.

* * *

At the Loud house, Lynn Sr. was preparing Turkey Loaf when the kitchen phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hi, am I speaking to Lynn Sr.?" A Hispanic voice spoke.

"This is he."

"Hello sir, this is Marcus Santiago."

"Mr. Santiago? What do I owe the pleasure of this call?" The father smiled.

"Just a few things concerning _your son..._ " Marcus stated, his tone becoming sharp.

Lynn Sr.'s face paled. "D-Did something happen to him?"

"No no. He's fine. But I just found out the real reason why he's had to spent the last 4 days over here. And don't be surprised about how all of us found out your family knew he's over here. Is your wife there too?"

Lynn felt his heart sink. He checked outside and saw that Vanzilla was still absent. "Um...no. She's with my daughter Leni shopping for mattresses."

Marcus chuckled on the line. "Marcus, don't say anything stupid..." Maria's voice was heard in the background.

"Well, here's a message for both of you: what in the HELL were you all thinking about when you were doing all of that to your son?! You have a nice boy here whose had to spent a good amount of time hating his family all because you idiotas took a lie WAY TOO FAR! I mean, who in the FUCK kicks out a child over bad luck?! Have you heard _any_ parent doing that before?"

Lynn had to hold the phone away from his ear due to all the screaming. He didn't know whether that was a rhetorical question or not, but as he was about to respond, Marcus continued on. "Of course not, cause you're the only family that's done it. Oh, and I just LOVED how your son told me how you putas got rid of his bed and dresser because you thought it was tainted. All of this, just because he wanted some alone time. But yet, you morons decided he a curse, no... A THREAT TO YOUR OVERALL HEALTH! * _Myself and my wife were very concerned about what kind of issues this young boy had been facing, but now we see why he refuses to come back home! You're VERY lucky that he hasn't called the cops on your stupid, fucking asses because I wholeheartedly would have! Now when your son comes back home, you better give him an OUTSTANDING fucking apology and treat him like he's the best God-forsaken blessing you ever had!_ _I used to think your family was a decent one despite its size, but I guess I was wrong._ "

Marcus stopped, as he had been inadvertently cursing out the other man in his native tongue. "Now, if I hear about you treating your son like that again, the police are gonna have to arrest me as well cause I will come down there and give you a beating so hard I'll be in your nightmares...do I make myself clear?..." The Hispanic man finished in a threatening tone.

"Y-Y-Yes s-sir..." Lynn said fearfully. Satisfied, Marcus hung up the phone.

Lori and Luan were in the living room when their father answered the phone. Their curiosity peaked as their dad seemed distressed, followed by sounds of clear shouting on the line. "Um, dad? Who was that?" Lori asked.

"Well...let's just say Mr. and Mrs. Santiago weren't too happy about finding out what Lincoln's been through..."

The girls' eyes went wide. "Wait, so does that mean-"

Lynn Sr. sighed as he put the phone back on its receiver. "Yes Luan...Lincoln is aware we know where he is...honestly girls, we should've expected something like this, but still..." The father resigned to going back to cooking dinner.

Lori and Luan looked at each other before deciding to head upstairs.

* * *

"Well, I think I made my point." Marcus said in content after putting the phone back.

"Probably a bit too much Marcus..." Maria exasperated, having a hand over her eyes in annoyance.

"If I didn't say it now then it would've bugged me all night." The father explained.

"Um, what just happened?" Lincoln asked as he unplugged his ears.

"Trust me little bro, you don't want to know." Bobby stated.

Ronalda sighed, taking the makeshift ear plugs out. "Daddy does that whenever he's really upset. Last time, it was at one of his co-workers because he kept pushing stuff in late, or something." She made a casual hand wave.

Marcus snorted, picking up his now empty plate. "He deserved it though. Because of him, my boss was on _my_ case about it. Plus, sorry Lincoln but your father needed to hear that."

"It's fine it's fine...I mean, I did the same thing when I finally snapped..." Lincoln looked at his plate, which was still half empty. "If it's alright, I think I'm done eating."

"It's fine dear. Now all of you get yourself ready for bed." Maria ordered.

"Alright..." Ronalda complied, getting out of her seat. She grabbed her plate off the table. "But I'm not finished with this."

Maria shrugged before gathering the rest of the dishes to wash them. Marcus went to the master bedroom to take a shower while Bobby retired to his room. Lincoln grabbed his camper bag to fish out his PJs.

Ronnie Anne poked her head out of the hallway. "Hey Lincoln, you ever watched some funny police chase videos?"

Lincoln shook his head. "Not that I know of. Why?"

"Finish changing so I can show you. You're gonna laugh." The little Latina chuckled before heading to her room.

 **A/N: Well, Marcus sure has a way with words. Someone else was bound to snap at the parents, and I'm pretty sure any parent with common sense would've done the same thing. It's fine if a friend stays over, but at some point they need to get back to their own place. When I added Conner, I was unsure of whether he goes to the same school Lincoln does, but it would make sense since he lives within the same vicinity of the school. He's just not seen very often. Believe it or not, Lincoln and Connor would actually have more in common than they think. Also, it may seem that Lynn's on a relapse, since she's worried that Lincoln won't ever forgive her, making it that she's the reason the family can never become whole again. But time will tell.**


	16. Three's Company

**A/N: Well, after watching that rant Marcus gave to Lynn Sr., I think we all need to look at something a bit more heartfelt. It seems to have dragged slightly per the course of having the rest of the sisters go about their ways to talk with Lincoln, so today we will give the spotlight to three of them. A few may already know who they are.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

A few minutes after Lynn's 'talk' with Marcus, the patriarch heard the front door being opened and closed. He saw Leni pass by the dining room entrance with a happy look on her face, while Rita had a look of relief.

The mother looked towards her husband. "Hey Lynn, how's-" She paused, noting the troubled look on Lynn's face. "Something wrong?"

"A couple things actually..." Lynn replied, putting dinner in the oven to be cooked. "Want the long version or the short one?"

"...Does it involve Lincoln?" The father nodded, making Rita's breath hitch a little. "Long version then."

"So, I was cooking dinner when the phone started ringing. I answered it, and turns out it was Mr. Santiago. Seems Lincoln finally told them about what really happened...I thought he already did when we found out where he was staying, but they never called the house before. In short, Mr. Santiago threatened to pulverize me if we don't make it up to Lincoln...or at least I think he did. Half of what he said was in Spanish..." The father leaned against the counter. "It's almost been a week since Lincoln left, and we haven't talked with him since...he probably thinks we don't care about him..."

While Lynn Sr. was talking, Leni came back downstairs to grab a smoothie before another sibling meeting was to start. The blonde was about to walk into the kitchen when she heard her parents in what seemed like a serious discussion. Not wanting to interrupt, the fashionista was about to walk back to her and Lori's room when the mention of Lincoln reached her ears. Keeping out of view, she peeked at her parents from behind the wall.

"Sweetie...if Lincoln really thought that, then he wouldn't be giving us a second chance. We're already skating on thin ice here."

"Yes, but he probably cares more about his sisters than us...I mean, he's already forgiven the twins. I just feel that it'll be a while before he even thinks about forgiving us..."

"Mmm..." Rita hummed for a moment. "...I wanted to call Lincoln throughout the day, but every time I did...I just got nervous and froze; I'm not sure how he'd react to hearing one of us talking to him again. At one point, I finally did get the courage to actually dial his number, but he didn't answer...I'm hoping that next time I try calling, he doesn't just hang up the phone..." She thought about her daughters, who seemed to be in better spirits. All except one... "Call it mother's tuition, but I think if anyone will have the hardest time making it up to Lincoln, it would be junior...she's been, like Lucy, ever since this whole thing began. She's taking it harder than the rest of us, seeing as while we all had a hand in driving our son away, she got into a fight with him and said some...harsh words..." She sat in one of the chairs at the table. "I know it's gonna be weird speaking to Lincoln again, but it seems like Lynn is fearful of him...even though she said he didn't hurt her last time they saw each other..."

The patriarch nodded in agreement. "I thought she was getting better since she looked almost like herself last night. But today, it felt like she got worse...if this keeps up, I'm not sure what we're gonna do..." Lynn looked at the oven for a moment. "Maybe I can whip up something that Lincoln really likes..."

"No offense honey, but I think it's gonna take more than food to convince Lincoln to forgive us for doing something _this_ unforgivable...especially after the fact he almost became gator chow..."

The man grimaced. "Don't remind me..."

At this point, Leni believed she heard enough. Giving a sad frown, she walked back upstairs. When she got to her room, Leni saw most of her sisters had been waiting patiently for her to return.

Lori was slightly annoyed that Leni decided to go grab a drink right as they were about to start. The 17 year old was even more displeased seeing her sister didn't have her smoothie in hand. "Leni, I thought you said you were getting your 'sibling meeting' smoothie."

"I was, but then I heard mom and dad talking in the kitchen. They aren't exactly happy right now..."

"I'm not surprised, but that's part of the reason why we're having this meeting." The eldest stated. "Ok, so before we call this meeting to order, Lucy are you sure Lynn doesn't want to join us?"

The black-haired child nodded. "Trust me. I tried coaxing her out, but she's as solid as a rock. Not even a meatball sub will remove her from her bed..."

Lori sighed. "Great..." She banged one of her shoes on the nightstand. "So, the reason for this meeting is due to what dad told us about just moments ago. Mr. Santiago just literally chewed out dad on the phone, which means Lincoln likely knows that we know where he is..."

The other sisters sans Luan grew nervous. "Well, so much for trying to keep it on the down low..." Luna spoke out.

"D-Does this mean Linky's gonna run away again?" Lola asked in fear.

"That's a possibility...however, seeing as this is the first time Mr. and Mrs. Santiago called our abode about this matter, it could stand to reason that Lincoln had informed them of his true situation only recently. Otherwise, they would've made contact within 24 hours of Thursday's altercation." Lisa explained.

"Well, I'm pretty sure mom and dad are feeling _thrilled_ to know we're exposed." The rest of the girls looked at Luan in annoyance. "What? That was sarcasm, not a joke!"

"They totes aren't, and they don't have any idea how to make it up to Lincoln. Plus, they aren't sure about how to help Lynn either." Leni added.

"Well, none of us have much of an idea on how to handle the latter, but in the case of the former..." Lori looked at all of her sisters. "Not counting the ones that Lincoln's already forgiven, are you girls almost finished with your ideas?"

"Yep. Me and Luan got the song chosen and the video is finished. All we gotta do now is get bro to watch it." The musician stated.

"I'm still working on my poem...it's a little difficult finding the right words..." Lucy piped up.

Lisa brought out a stack of papers. "I've compiled a list of the amount of favors I owe Lincoln in exchange for helping me with my experiments. No matter the task, I will complete it without question. This includes his school work, even though that would be questionable, seeing as Lincoln doesn't falter in his academics. I've also written a formal letter expressing my sincerest condolences as well as an agreement that, should such a situation like this arise again, I will use my logical and rational nature to help disprove any false claims against him. I even took the liberty of making it a blood oath." The 4 year old showed her siblings the letter and the little blood mark next to her signature.

"Nothing says a true, binding agreement like a blood pact..." Lucy muttered.

Leni stood silent for a bit, before she remembered something. "Oh, right. Me and mom got this cool mattress for the bed I made for him. It's gonna take a few months for it to get here though..."

Lisa shook her head. "Preposterous. It doesn't take that long to deliver a piece of bedding. At most, I suspect it'll be a few days."

"But what about you Lori?" Luan asked.

"Yeah, you gotta have something wicked for Lincoln right?" Luna chimed in.

Lori shifted hesitantly. "That's the thing...I don't really have any decent ideas; you girls already have some outstanding thoughts going on, but I've been floundering a bit. I looked online for any Ace Savvy stuff, but I'm not sure what Lincoln already has or doesn't have..."

"You didn't check his room?" Lana asked.

The eldest sibling folded her arms. "Lana, I'm pretty sure _none_ of us have been in there since Lincoln left. While I guess it wouldn't hurt to look...it wouldn't be right to just search through his stuff while he's still fuming; plus, we've used his stuff without permission many times before. It'd be best to not let him think we searched his room right after he left..."

"I think we've all used each other's things without asking at one point or another." Lola pointed out.

Luan gave a small glare at the little princess. "Like the time you read my diary?..." Lola gave a nervous laugh in response.

"Point is, I don't have the faintest idea on what to do. I mean, I could try helping Lincoln get closer to Ronnie Anne-" Lori was cut off by her sisters squealing in delight.

"Dude! That's perfect! You can help him get close to his _loove_!" The musician said in a suggestive tone.

The little tomboy squinted her eyes in thought. "Wait, didn't she punch him the last time they kissed?"

"Mmhmm." Lori agreed. "But, they made up after I forced Lincoln to come with me on that one double date to get him and Ronnie to make up. It was literally killing me and Bobby to pretend being broke up the whole time, but it was worth seeing the two of them kiss..." A smile adorned her features.

"You know, I heard at school that Ronnie Anne asked Lincoln out yesterday." The goth girl stated.

Lori gave a low groan. "Well, there goes _that_ idea..."

Leni squinted her eyes, her mind thinking up something. "Ask...out?..." She muttered. The 16 year old then gave a loud gasp once she finally got her thoughts together. "Girls! I totes got an idea! Why don't we ask Lincoln out?!"

The rest looked at Leni like she grew a second head. "Uh, no offense Leni, but Lincoln's our _brother._ He's not some random boy from school." The comedian spoke out.

"Wait, what? Ew! No! That's not what I meant. I was just saying, we could ask Lincoln out to lunch." The fashionista clarified.

"Ooooooooh." Everyone else said in unison.

"That could work. It really depends if Lincoln wants to go or not. But, to minimize the chance of failure, all of us can't go. I'm still finishing things on my end regardless." The 4 year old stated.

"Same here." Lucy agreed.

"And since I still don't have any ideas, that just leaves Leni, Luna, and Luan since you 3 have your stuff ready." The eldest Loud stated. "So where would you take him?"

"I know he likes Gus' Games N' Grub, but...what's the name..." Luna snapped her fingers as she tried to refresh her memory. "Oh I know! We could take him to Jillian's!"

"That new restaurant and arcade place?" Luan asked.

"Yeah. It's just like Gus', but WAY bigger. Probably more expensive too..."

"Well, I still have some cash I made from tips at the parties I attended." The comedian shrugged.

"And some cash from the gigs I did." Luna agreed.

"Oh, I got like $200 in savings." Leni added, making the rest gawk at her. "What? I don't spend my money _every_ time I go to the mall."

"Welp, it's settled. You three will get a shot at Lincoln next. When do you plan on speaking to him?" Lori asked.

The three teens mulled in thought. Tomorrow was another school day, so they couldn't be out too late. They could wait for the weekend, but they doubted their patience would last that long. "We can try tomorrow. Might have to do homework a bit late, but it'll be worth it." Luna answered.

"Same here." Luan agreed, while Leni nodded.

Lily took Lisa's glasses, wanting to see what it was like to wear them. The child prodigy chuckled for a moment. "Hopefully if you 3 succeed in your endeavor, it may give our parental units the confidence boost they need to make amends."

"Well, then let's get this show on the road! Whose going to call him?" The comedian asked.

Lori gave a small shrug. "We'll just let you girls decide on that. Now, for the second order of business...what are we going to do about Lynn? No offense Lucy, but she seems to be acting worse than you..."

"None taken. To be honest, the way I see it...the only person who can bring Lynn back to her loud, obnoxious self is our brother. Sigh...she had another nightmare last night, and she thinks Lincoln is never going to forgive her while he makes amends with the rest of us..."

Leni became teary-eyed. "That's like, totes sad..."

"She did say that she wished he was never born..." Lola said uneasily.

"Yeah, but she came to regret it. And now, Lynn sees herself as The Unforgiven." The musician voiced.

"I don't think the rest of you know, but Lynn ran into Lincoln yesterday as well." Lucy added, causing the others to gasp in shock. "She said he didn't do anything to her, just asked how she was doing. Lynn didn't stay long though, and she doesn't know why he hadn't hurt her..."

"Interesting." Lisa took her glasses from Lily, who was rather hesitant to give them back. "Perhaps Lincoln's anger subsides with each time we come to him as a sign of..." She grunted a little. "Peace. Lily, can I have my optical wear please?" Lily giggled before releasing, making Lisa nearly fall off the bed.

"So, if Lincoln continues to accept our apologies, his anger will get to the point it won't be there anymore?" The princess asked.

Lisa shook her head. "No. It will still be there, but it will diminish to which he will be willing to forgive Lynn."

"But Lynn might not forgive herself..." Lucy added.

Leni, Luan, and Luna looked at each other in worry. As it stood, they had a total of three objectives to accomplish if they were going to have a day out with their brother: hope that Lincoln forgives them, which would in turn give Rita and Lynn Sr. the confidence to plan something of their own, and lastly, diminish Lincoln's anger to where he might consider forgiving his sports loving sister.

"Well, if we're gonna do this, we better get it over with..." Luan said in a concerned tone.

To decide who would call or text Lincoln, the three sisters did rock-paper-scissors for it. Leni fell out first since she rolled rock while the other two had paper, but in the end, Luna won since she rolled scissors while Luan still kept paper. The musician went to her room and grabbed her phone. Taking a breath, she scrolled through the contacts list and found Lincoln's number.

At the Santiago's house, Lincoln and Ronnie Anne were busting a gut as some guy who was yelling at a police officer ended up getting decked in the face for attempted assault. All the while, the man's girlfriend was screaming at the officer, which really wasn't helping her case. Lincoln's phone vibrated in his pocket for a second, making him fish it out. On the screen, he saw he got a text from Luna. The boy was a bit hesitant to be speaking with Luna, being that aside from the twins, it was the first he heard from them. Lincoln have assumed they thought he probably blocked their numbers, or didn't have the guts to try and contact him. Still, he was curious to see what his music-loving sister wanted. He opened the text app and read the message:

 _Hey Lincoln, it's me. How are you doing bro?...I know you're probably still miffed at us for what happened, but it was nice to hear that you forgave the twins. Now, this is a shot in the dark but...me, Luan, and Leni wanna take you out to Jillian's after school tomorrow. You in?_

Lincoln's eyes grew wide at the mention of that place. He heard a lot of kids at school talking about it, saying it blew Gus' place out the water by a mile. He secretly wanted to go visit the arcade/eatery, but never had enough money since the power cards are a good $20 for a decent amount of credits and the white-haired child usually spent his cash on comics. On one hand, he was a little on edge about being around 3 of his older sisters. Lincoln was considering forgiving Leni, but Luna and especially Luan...he was on the fence with them. However, he couldn't pass up a golden opportunity like this. His phone gave small pings with each key stroke.

 _Sure...what time are you gonna pick me up?_

All of the girls sat hesitantly around Luna's phone as they waited for Lincoln to respond. A wave of relief washed over them when he accepted.

 _Right after we finish school. Name the place and we can come get you._

Lincoln mulled for a moment. Aside from Luan, Leni and Luna would have another hour before they finished.

 _You can pick up me and Luan at school once you're finished._ He typed.

 _Gotcha. See you tomorrow._ Was Luna's reply.

"So, you got plans tomorrow?" Ronalda asked, looking at his phone.

"Yeah...Luna, Leni, and Luan wanna take me to Jillian's."

"Wait, did you say _Jillian's_?! That place is awesome. Can I come with?"

Lincoln chuckled nervously. "H-Hah, sorry Ronnie Anne, but I think this should just be between me and my sisters."

The Hispanic girl shrugged. "It's fine, just thought I'd jump on the bandwagon. But, you better promise to take me there at some point."

The boy gave a nod. "I'll let you know how it is."

* * *

'Middle of the week' Wednesdays can be hit or miss. Some are a bit happy knowing the week is almost dealt with, while others are still sulking that they're still dealing with the hell that is work for another 3 days. But for Lincoln, he was brimming with a mix of uncertainty and anticipation. Uncertain for how this little trip would turn out, but filled with excitement to be going to the biggest gaming eatery in Royal Woods. Sure, he may be at odds with his sisters, but he could still try to have a good time. The day carried on as usual, with Lincoln's friends going home once the bell rang. Lincoln himself sat on one of the benches at the front doors, idly playing a game on his phone. Some would say Candy Crush and any of its affiliates is addictive, and they wouldn't be wrong. Lincoln had been playing that game the last five minutes, only growing a little frustrated when he got stuck on a hard level.

The sound of the front doors opening got his attention for a brief moment, and in those few seconds he stopped caring much about his game. Luan had just came outside, looking slightly nervous as the two stared at each other for what seemed like minutes. Eventually, the aspiring comedian finally got the courage to sit a few feet from her brother.

"So...how have things been Lincoln?"

"...Good...I guess..." The boy replied, trying to avoid eye contact.

"...Nice weather we're having, right?"

"Kinda hot, but I'm not complaining too much..."

"Sweet, sweet..." Luan smiled a little. _"Nice weather we're having? Ugh! Who starts with that?!_ _"_ She groaned internally. One thing that made Luan particularly nervous was that she knew Lincoln remembered the April Fools from last year. How could he not? She put him through a humiliation conga just to get a cheap laugh, all by inviting Ronnie Anne over. This was made evident when he made such a statement during his rant last Thursday that was directed at her. Given his time alone, he must've been fuming about it at some point. Since they had some time before their sisters arrived, Luan figured she could start by giving her apologies.

The 14 year old looked at her brother, who was back to staring at his phone. "Lincoln..."

"Hmm?..." His tone felt like it lacked any care.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry about what I did to you on April Fools last year; everything I did that day was all so I could get a good laugh, not realizing how much pain I gave you. It was especially low for me to invite Ronnie Anne over, knowing you'd leave your safe haven so I could prank you, then expected her to deliver a pie to your face when she got to the house..."

Lincoln looked up from his phone and stared at the empty space before him. "Let me ask you something Luan...you say you're sorry now, but that's only because I brought it up last Thursday. But if you really were sorry, why did you force dad to buy that motel so you could set up that huge prank last April?" He looked at her with a small glare.

"I...I just wanted to o-outdo myself from last year...plus, everyone got revenge on me in the end."

Lincoln folded his arms. "And yet, some of us had to deal with the effects of being pranked by you for weeks. Lucy refused to go to school until the bleach was finally washed out, Lynn had to get checked for any diseases because of that monkey biting her, Lola smelled like trash for days and refused to come out of her room, and you're lucky that Lana is only mildly allergic to rhubarb, cause I can't remember the last time her face swelled up like that. As far as Luna getting stuck, Lori losing her eyebrows, and Leni getting stuck on the motel's sign, I guess those might be kinda harmless, but what really has me concerned was Lily's prank. Mom moved her out of the way in time before she got covered in a huge pile of laundry, but I can't help but wonder if that prank was actually meant for Lily...I don't like imagining what a huge pile of laundry could do to a baby because that's a lot of weight if mom got stuck in it, but I do..."

Luan felt guilty what was mentioned, but she felt rather appalled that Lincoln was insinuating that she would've buried Lily under that massive pile of clothes. "Look Lincoln, I may go a bit crazy on April Fools day, I admit that, but I'm not a monster! I knew that mom would see the rattle and prevent Lily from moving it. That prank was meant for her! All I did was replace Lily with a monkey!" She spoke defiantly.

Lincoln squinted his eyes. "And speaking of revenge, what were your words after we trapped you in that suit? I believe you said, 'you were going _easy_ on us.' And since I was the last one that you intended to prank, what did you have planned on the roof?..."

Luan was a little hesitant to answer. "...You'd get covered in tar and be launched into a pile of feathers across the street by a catapult..."

The boy bit his lower lip. "And what if I didn't? What if I ended up landing in the street, or ended up hitting Vanzilla?"

Luan stayed silent, not wanting to answer that. She didn't want to imagine Lincoln getting fractured bones or having something cut up from impacting the glass windows of the van. Or worse, he ended up in the street and got hit by a passing car. The comedian shook her head to try and rid herself of such thoughts. "I...I gotta use the restroom..." Her voice was breaking when she spoke.

Lincoln watched Luan rush back into the school. It wouldn't take her long to find the bathroom, as there was one just around the corner from the front entrance. The white-headed boy looked at the ground in anger for a few moments before his look softened a bit. The feeling of guilt swelled in his stomach as he looked back at the double doors. He knew Luan was crying to herself in the bathroom; he saw tears forming in her eyes before she abruptly left. Lincoln didn't mean to make her cry, but he wanted to let her know that he was upset about her crazy pranking habits. Luan wasn't innocent by any means, but even if Lincoln was miffed by the whole situation he and his family was in...he still hated seeing any of his sisters crying, especially if he was the one that caused it.

A honking sound was heard before Lincoln heard the sound of tires screeching. Looking to his right, Vanzilla was parked next to the sidewalk. The driver window rolled down to reveal Luna. "Hey Lincoln!" Leni was in the front passenger seat.

Lincoln grabbed his bag and walked over to the van. "Hey Luna..."

The musician gave a frown seeing her brother looking sad. "What's wrong luv?"

"It's...well...I'll tell you guys when we get to Jillian's..." He walked two feet before opening one of the passenger doors. "Wait...I thought Leni would be driving."

"Dad said Luna had to drive cause...well, I'm not good with cars yet." Leni replied nervously.

A few minutes later, Luan came out. Noticing the van, she grabbed her stuff from the bench and walked to the car. Just as Lincoln thought, her eyes were a bit red. This didn't go unnoticed by the older girls, giving small frowns as the 14 year old got in. She sat further in the back, wanting to be by herself. Whatever Lincoln and Luan talked about clearly put a dampening mood on this whole trip. Luna and Leni just hoped it would pick back up once they got to their destination.

* * *

When they got to Jillian's, it was indeed everything Lincoln had heard about it. Being a stand-alone eatery, it had enough room to expand and be built to accommodate a wide range of activities, from the usual arcade to a full-on bowling alley. Lincoln was like a kid at a candy store through it all. After getting a few power cards, the Louds tried out a majority of the games, half of which Leni actually won. However, Lincoln couldn't help but notice that Luan wasn't really into the festivities. She was still a bit gloomy about their discussion earlier. Eventually, the group got a bit hungry, so they sat at one of the high tables in the restaurant portion of the place. Luan claimed she had to use the bathroom again, to which the other two sisters felt it was a good time to ask once the comedian left.

"Bro, why is Luan acting like she lost Mr. Coconuts?" Luna asked.

Lincoln rubbed his arm. "We...talked about Luan's past April Fools Day shenanigans. She apologized for making me leave the safety of my room by inviting Ronnie Anne over, but I...I blew up on her a little...I brought up last April Fools Day and how the rest of us were rather hurt or had to deal with some side effects from that day." He stared at the porcelain table. "I think I made her feel like she was a monster because of it..."

Luna and Leni stared at their brother for a moment. While it was true that Luan tended to go overboard, they would never think of her as some kind of maniac. Luna took her phone out of her bag and scrolled around on the screen. She tapped it twice and a video came up. "Here bro, I want you to watch this. I'm not sure if it'll be enough to earn your forgiveness, but I hope you like it. Me and Luan worked on it." She handed Lincoln her phone as well as a pair of ear buds to cancel out the noise generated by the people around them.

Lincoln glanced at the phone questioningly and popped the earbuds in. Hitting the play button, the video started with a recording of Luna sitting on Luan's bunk, setting the strings of an acoustic guitar:

"Hey Lincoln. I know you're still very upset at all of us, especially when we heard how you close you came to calling the cops. Words can't express how me and Luan feel about how we put you on the highway to hell, and didn't realize it until it was too late...it tore us up a lot in here," She pointed at her heart, "But we're very thankful you gave us a chance to tell you how sorry we are. So, I figured...what better way than through song?" Luna finished fiddling with the guitar, settling it properly. "Enjoy the show bro. Luan picked out the photos."

Luna's fingers strummed the guitar smoothly, before a soft beat could be heard to go along with it. Lincoln couldn't put his finger on the song, as he wasn't familiar with the band, but after hearing a few of the lyrics, the boy realized that Luna was singing _If Only For Now_ by _Pop Evil_. Her angelic voice made it sound even sweeter to his ears. As Luna was singing, a slide show of pictures began to play. The first picture showed Luna holding a baby Lincoln as she tickled him. Another was a picture taken when Luan was trying to feed the aforementioned infant. Key word, trying. Lincoln kept making a mess and him, along with Luan and his baby seat was filthy. However, Luan didn't mind it and just laughed with her brother. In the next photo, a five year old Luan was trying to entertain her brother by performing a juggling act. At the time, it was the first of Luan's attempts at a circus act. When the picture was snapped, one of the bowling pins had smacked Luan in the head, causing a 2 year old Lincoln to giggle.

Then, yet another picture was shown where Lincoln, Luna, and Luan were at a trip to the water park. The white-haired child remembered that day. Being only 5 years old, Lincoln kept trying to wad into the deeper parts of the pool, only to get put back in the shallow end by one of his parents. He had been rather jealous that his older sisters were allowed to tread neck-deep water while it only came up to his stomach on his end. So, when Rita and Lynn Sr. weren't looking, he snuck into the deeper part, which soon became a bit too deep for his liking. Lincoln started to drown, which prompted the reaction of a lifeguard. But, before the official could jump in, Luna and Luan (who were closer) came and saved him. Lincoln got grounded afterwards, but he was thankful for his sisters. Luan even stayed behind to cheer him up after he started crying.

At this point, the video began to replay recorded family videos. Some of these clips had been taken without any of the siblings knowing about it, which caused Luan and Luna to question their parents on a few things. The first video had been recorded about a couple years ago. No dialogue was heard as it had been cut out while Luna was still singing. Luan was applying bandages to Lincoln, who had a few bruises on him. The boy recalled this memory easily enough. He was in 3rd grade at the time while Luan was in 6th. Lincoln had a bit of a bullying problem, which he hadn't told any of his sisters about. Unfortunately for the bully, Luan witnessed it one day when walking home from school and made sure that boy wouldn't be bothering her brother anymore.

The next video was actually set up with a hidden camera. Luan and Lincoln had set up a classic pale-of-water prank outside of Lori and Leni's room. Lori was still inside, but soon the sounds of feet shuffling could be heard. Seconds later, the door opened, followed by a bucket of water pouring down on the blonde. Lincoln couldn't hear Lori screaming, but he still laughed anyway. Reading her lips, he could tell the eldest Loud shouted Luan's name. The camera panned back to Lincoln and Luan, who were laughing in secret. That was, until Lori found where they were hiding. The camera then shook around because the two kids were running from an enraged teenager.

A few more clips were shown after that, all of which dealt with Luna and Luan hanging out with Lincoln in some form. They included a couple videos taken from other sources, such as the time the whole family practiced being a family band at the county fair, Luna, Lincoln, and Clyde dancing on the stage at Lincoln's first SMOOCH concert, and the last one, which surprised Lincoln, showed footage from last April Fools Day. It was specifically how Luan ended up getting her own dose of karma, shown at various angles from the security cameras. Lincoln gave a heartfelt laugh at this. As the song began to end, the screen cut to black with a single sentence shown. Written in Trend font:

 _Come home soon, bro._

 _Love, Luna and Luan_

Lincoln gave a warm smile as the video ended. Popping the earbuds out, he was quickly reminded of how loud Jillian's was.

"So...what did you think of it?" Luna asked.

Lincoln didn't say anything. He handed the phone back to Luna before getting out of his seat. Luna grew a little anxious, not knowing what her brother planned on doing. She got her answer within a second as Lincoln wrapped his arms around her. Taken by surprise for a moment, Luna returned it. Leni snapped a photo of this with her phone, finding it adorable.

"Thanks Luna..." Lincoln finally spoke.

"Any time bro...sorry for not realizing how bad things got sooner...and I'm sorry about that whole thing at the last concert..."

"Don't worry about it. Like you said in that song, I gotta live in the moment." The boy smiled.

Luna chuckled. "Still, I think Leni's idea blew ours out the water."

Lincoln looked at Luna quizzically before looking at Leni, who was literally bouncing in her seat in anticipation. "What does she mean Leni?"

"Ok ok, I got a surprise for you!" She flipped through her own phone for a second, pulling up her image gallery. "I made you a new bed!"

Lincoln's eyes went wide with surprise. "What?!"

Leni flipped the phone around and showed her brother a now-complete bed frame and even a dresser to accompany it, both of which were now in Lincoln's room. Lincoln was amazed at how detailed it all was, especially when it came to someone like Leni. Then again, he remembered that time he tried teaching her how to drive and she took Lori's order to make her bed too literal. To his even greater surprise, there was Ace Savvy's logo etched on the sides, headboard, and footboard. That same logo was also on the side of the dresser, along with various card symbols etched on each drawer. To say that Lincoln's mind was blown would be an understatement. The smile on his face said it all. He knew his family would get him a new bed eventually, but he sure didn't expect Leni to make one for him right at home.

"The mattress won't arrive for a few days but-" Leni was cut off when Lincoln suddenly hugged her tight.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" He said repeatedly. Leni smiled and returned an equally strong hug.

Luna smiled, but then frowned when she noticed that Luan hadn't come back yet. "Guys, I think we should go check on Luan..."

Lincoln's smile turned into a frown upon mentioning her. "No, I will...it's my fault she's like this, so I'm the only one who can bring her back..."

"But what if she's still in the girl's room?" Leni asked. "You could be labeled a peeking-cat!"

"Peeping-Tom Leni." Luna corrected.

"I'm willing to take that risk if it means getting Luan to smile again." With that, Lincoln walked out into the arcade. The nearest restroom was in the middle of the arcade, so the boy didn't need to walk too far. He got to the entrance of the women's bathroom, and called out to his sister. "Luan?!...Luan are you still in there?" When he didn't get a reply back, he started to grow nervous. There was a very high chance some ladies were in there doing their business, given how populated the place is. However, if Lincoln wanted to reconcile with his comedic sister, he was gonna have to risk getting pelted with purses and tissue rolls. Taking a breath, he was set to march right in.

However, just before he could push the door open, Lincoln heard small sobs coming from the small unisex bathroom that sat between the larger gender-specific ones. The 11 year old raised a hand and knocked.

"Luan?..."

"Not now Lincoln..." Came his sister's upset voice. The boy sighed in relief at having avoided major embarrassment.

"Luan...I just want to talk..."

"Why would you want to talk to someone whose done nothing but play mean pranks on you? Or for the rest of the family for that matter?..."

"Luan, you know that's not true. I-" Lincoln started.

"I used your feelings for Ronnie Anne just to get a cheap laugh, then I set you guys up last April just to get an even bigger laugh! My last prank probably could've landed you in the hospital!...You're right Lincoln, I'm nothing but a-" Luan was cut off when Lincoln banged a fist on the door.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!..."

Both didn't say anything for a few moments, the sound of chatter and games being played occupying the silence between them.

"Luan...you aren't a monster. I'm sorry for making you think that you were...I was just tired of the prankpocolypse you constantly give everyone on April Fools. I know it's that time of the year for pranks and all, but you could at least tone it down, or invite all of us to join in. I don't think the rest of our family likes living in fear every time that date arrives. I saw the video you and Luna made and...it reminded me of all the times we had fun together, you even saved me a few times. You can be annoying sometimes...but I still love you as a sister. I'm sorry for making you cry, and I wish I never did..."

Lincoln stared at the door, hoping she'd answer back. After 60 seconds without a reply, Lincoln was beginning to lose hope. He was about to turn around and walk back to their table, when he heard the door unlocking. Luan opened the door and stepped out the restroom. Lincoln noted how pink her eyes looked, taking a guess she had been sobbing for the past 10 minutes. The 11 year old walked up to his sister and hugged her, which Luan returned.

"I'm very sorry for making you upset Luan...I didn't mean all those mean things I said..."

"Lincoln...if anyone needs to apologize it's me...aside from all those pranks I pulled on you and our family, I also thought you weren't anything but a freaking object of luck...some sister I am..."

"You did, but...that didn't mean I had to make you feel like crap for it. You came out here with Luna and Leni to convince me how sorry you guys are for everything, and I believe you girls worked hard enough for it." He released her. "But...can you promise me two things?"

Luan knelt down to his level. "Anything for you bro."

"Well..." Lincoln shifted a little on the spot. "Next time it's April Fools day, can you not do another prankpocolypse? Or if you do, can everyone play pranks on each other? And as for my second thing...you know Comedy Fort Knox?"

Luan nodded.

"...It's probably just me, but I don't feel too comfortable knowing that you have a ton of my embarrassing moments locked in your closet. So, could you please delete all of them?"

"Lincoln, you know I would never show _any_ of those videos without your permission. That's a rule I stick with when it comes to all of us, which I technically broke last year with that video of you and Clyde practicing kisses with a balloon." The brunette smiled nervously. "But, I swear as a comedian that I'll destroy every video I have."

Lincoln smiled and hugged her again, this time with both parties being happy. "Now let's go get some grub. I hope that pasta I ordered is good, cause I heard it's quite saucey!" Luan giggled.

Lincoln gave a small snort. "Nice to see your sense of humor didn't leave you."

 **A/N: I was originally going to have Lincoln play a prank on Luan, but seeing as he made her cry her eyes out, I felt it would be rather OOC for him to do that. Luan felt bad for putting Lincoln though April Fools hell, and she didn't need to suffer any more than she needed to. As of now, that's 5 of the Louds that have regained Lincoln's trust. What will the parents do when its their turn? And what is Lori going to do to gain Lincoln's forgiveness. Keep in mind that she probably feels bad for half the stuff she said about Lincoln at his expense, so chances are Lincoln might feel a little heated when talking with his oldest sister.**


	17. Upping The Ante

**A/N: With college finally out of the way, I hope to bring my update schedule into more of a weekly basis instead of the usual 'once or twice a month' schtick. As it stands, 5 of the girls have regained Linc's trust and love. So, all that leaves is Lori, Lucy, Lisa, Lynn, and the parents. However, a new plan is going to be set in motion by a certain redhead people have learned to hate. The perception of some people will be put to the test. And before I forget, a few have questioned why Luna is able to drive. In the state of Michigan, you need to be 14 years, 9 months to qualify for a Learner's Permit. With Luna being over that, she would definitely have one.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Thursdays, the one day of the week before Friday. This day has an odd habit of making people think it's the start of the weekend because of how close it is to the end of the week; yet every time, people groan in frustration when they realize the work week isn't over yet. But for a certain family, Thursday was also a grim reminder of their current situation. It has officially been one week since Lincoln fled from home, and despite the confidence most of the Louds shared at convincing him to return, the girls and parents couldn't help but take a moment of silence to reflect on their mistakes. This was especially true to Lynn, seeing as she was so eerily quiet today that the jock accidentally snuck up on Lucy.

Lori spent several minutes staring blankly at the mirror this morning, mulling over the relationship she had with her brother. You could say it was rocky at best, but they still cared for one another. However, the eldest sister thought about some of the things she had said to him, specifically the times she had demeaned him even though he was trying his best. This in turn brought up the memory of when she found a little letter titled 'Why BLANK is the worst sister ever'. Lori was irritated when she found that incriminating letter, but deep down, her heart sank. Given the number of times she used her age or authority as an excuse to get what she wanted, it wasn't hard to see why Lincoln would be upset with her. Plus, there was the fact she didn't even apologize for breaking his game goggles _before_ leaving the house. The 17 year old surmised that's what caused him to write that long worded letter. Lori had no doubts that this would be something Lincoln might bring up when she made time to talk with him in person, and as such, she would need to prepare to pour her heart out if he started yelling at her.

"You ok Lori?" Leni asked, startling the older blonde. She had been right next to her sister applying lipstick, though she kept spreading it too wide. Along with the two girls, Luan was in the shower while Luna was opposite of Leni, using floss to clean her teeth.

"Yeah...just thinking..."

"About Linky right?" Lori nodded in response. "Aw, don't worry! You'll make it up to him somehow!"

"And if you're still planning on giving him dating tips, he dropped a hint that he wanted to take Ronnie Anne to Jillian's." Luna added, tugging the floss between her canine and incisor.

"Yeah. You can still set him up on the love boat." Luan chuckled.

Lori shrugged. "Well, I don't know what two 11 year olds would do for a date, but if I had to guess, it'd be a trip to the arcade or whatever. Not that I want to force them into a romantic outing or anything cause it might make things awkward. But if Lincoln actually wants to go that distance with Ronnie Anne, I could give him a few pointers. It's just that...should I do it when I can't even keep my own relationship with Bobby afloat? Even though we're technically still together...it's more of a friend-zone than anything else..."

"At least he didn't _completely_ dump you." Luna pointed out.

"That doesn't make me feel any better..."

"Just go with what you think is a good idea dude. The sooner you pick something, the sooner you'll get that weight off your chest." The musician took the floss from her mouth and trashed it. Before she walked out the bathroom, a devious smile formed. Knowing that her roommate was still showering, it was the perfect set up. Luna pulled the toilet handle down, and within seconds, she was greeted with Luan's pained shrieks. The comedian poked her head through the curtain to glare at the 15 year old.

"Now you know how I feel." Luna grinned smugly before strolling out.

"I am so doing the shaving cream trick on her..." Luan grumbled.

Leni mulled in thought for a moment. "Wait...Lori's chest isn't that big."

Luan had to fight hard to burst out laughing as Lori's cheeks reddened. She instinctively covered her chest while glaring at her roommate. "That's not what she meant Leni..."

Leni still didn't quite get it as she looked between her breasts and Lori's. In truth, Leni was actually budding out slightly more than her older sister; a few centimeters at best. The ditzy blonde reached out to try to get a better comparison, making Lori slap her hand away. "Stop it!"

Luan couldn't contain her laughter and started cracking up a storm. Lori glared at her through the curtain. "Don't you have some tapes to destroy?!"

"Oh, I already did that yesterday. I removed all the film and burned it in a fire pit. Well, not all of it technically. Some of Lincoln's cutest moments were in there so I saved those, but I trashed any embarrassing moments I recorded. Then, I used one of Lynn's bats to break the cassettes up. However, I realized that's probably not a good idea since I need some of those tapes for my camera. Still gonna need to buy tons of blank film though..."

"I think it's rather borderline stalker that you had over _200_ tapes of Lincoln." Lori replied.

"What can I say. He's a great source of comedy!" The 14 year old chuckled. "Too bad he's not into cracking jokes."

"Well, least some good came out of our date. I heard that Mom and Dad are totes planning to take Lincoln to Dairy Land this weekend." Leni stated.

"Given how much Lincoln loves Dairy Land, he's sure to say 'cowabungaa'!' The comedian laughed at rimshot, making the other girls groan.

* * *

In the Pingrey household, the siblings were getting themselves ready for school. Their parents already left for work, and the bus was due to arrive in another half hour. Knowing how long his sisters take to groom themselves, Conner hopped into the shower the moment he awoke. A usual scrub down, nothing out of the ordinary. Whenever Conner used the shower, he always had to use shampoo, lest he wanted his hair to become curly instead of evenly waved. In fact, each sibling had their own brand to use whenever they needed to wash their hair. As such, there have been instances where someone ended up using the wrong brand. Such would be the case today as, while Conner was washing his head, he grabbed Carol's shampoo without bothering to check.

Turning the water off and stepping out of the shower, Conner dried his face and hair before glancing at the mirror. It was covered in mist from the water vapors, but the boy noticed that something about his appearance seemed...off. Rubbing away a spot to get a clear picture, the 11 year old found that his hair wasn't it's usual shade of blonde. It looked very close to white. Conner's eyes bugged out before he released an ear-piercing scream, gripping his newly dyed hair while doing so.

Cassandra walked into the bathroom with an irate look, sleep still evident on her face. "What the hell are you screaming about Conner?..."

The boy glared at his sister. "Look at my hair!"

The emo wiped the dead skin from her eyes before getting a clearer picture. "Hah hah." Her laugh was dry and emotionless.

The boy's cheeks reddened in embarrassment. "This isn't funny! I look like a gender-bent version of some female character with white hair!"

"That's what happens when you use Carol's shampoo."

"What about my shampoo?" Carol asked, poking her head in the doorframe. Upon seeing Conner's head, she burst out laughing. "How did that happen this time?"

"Maybe because you didn't put your stuff back where it usually is?..." Conner pointed accusingly.

"No, my brand is always on the left side of the shower rack. _You_ likely messed up and grabbed the bottle without looking." Carol retorted, folding her arms. "Even then, I don't know why you're complaining now. You used to like having platinum hair."

"That was before Frozen came out..." The boy looked at the mirror. "I can't go to school like this. I don't want to be called Elsa again. I gotta wash this out..."

"Even I would rather face grounding than be related to those despicable characters..." Cassy added.

"Conner, the rest of us girls need the bathroom too, and _n_ _o one_ is skipping school. Plus, mom and dad would make you go anyways because trying to avoid school over a hair issue is pointless."

"Says the girl who wouldn't come out her room because she had a bad case of bed head." The emo stated.

Carol's face contorted into a glare. "T-That was a one time thing!"

"No, it was because you didn't want Lori making fun of you for 2 months." Cassandra pointed out.

"Oh get off my back Cassy! Conner, you're going to school whether you like it or not."

"Not like you can-" Conner stopped upon seeing the hate-filled look Carol was giving him. "I'll go get changed!" The boy ran out the bathroom.

* * *

Things carried on at school like usual. Quite a few students took notice of Conner's hair color, which came with mixed results. A few did in fact call him Elsa, much to his embarrassment, while others had mistaken him for Lincoln. Conner looked at any student in disgust when they misnamed him. He didn't look even _close_ to Lincoln. Sure, he may be wearing a similar looking orange shirt and blue jeans today, but he hardly looked like Pineapple Boy. At least, that's what he thought until he got a glimpse at Lincoln's hairstyle. Everyone knew that Lincoln's hair was snow white with a small tuft sticking up on the left side of his head. Added onto that, Lincoln's hair was rather flat with definitive lines, whereas Conner's was wavy and rounded. In terms of color, Conner's hair was more silver-like, only appearing white in certain lighting. Doesn't help that he had a noticeable cowlick just above his forehead.

"Ok...maybe I do look like Lincoln _a little_. Guess these people are too blind to tell the difference..." He muttered to himself, shuffling the books in his hand.

Making his way to his next class, Conner turned a corner, coming within a few feet of bumping into another student who was at the water fountain. The other person side-stepped a few feet to avoid the potential collision. "O-Oh, s-sorry Lincoln!" A feminine voice said.

"Ugh!" Conner yelled at the ceiling.

"Wait..." The female studied him for a minute. "You're not Lincoln."

The boy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Was I _supposed_ to be?..."

"N-No, it's just...your hair..." The other student seemed rather reserved and shy now.

Conner studied the girl in front of him: about his height, red hair, had a yellow hair band, and was wearing a blue blouse. The boy recognized her as one of his classmates, though this girl had a habit of sitting in the back of the class. As such, he never noticed how...pretty she looked in his opinion. A part of him was beginning to regret acting like a street punk towards the female. Thankfully, the bratty kid's cheeks were red from aggravation rather than embarrassment. Conner gave a heavy sigh. "Sorry...it's just too many people kept mistaking me for Pineapple Boy for 2 freaking hours..."

" _Pineapple Boy?_ "

"Lincoln..."

"Well, you do look a lot like him. Aside from the clothes and the hair, you don't have a chipped tooth. Are you his brother?"

"I don't have a brother, just two annoying sisters..."

"Oh." The girls stayed quiet for a moment, the sound of chatter and footsteps filling the silence between them. "So...why do you refer to Lincoln as Pineapple Boy? Did you two meet before?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Conner shifted his weight a bit. "If I had to guess, you're probably one of those girls that want to date him or something?"

The redhead gave a light blush, rubbing her arm. A small frown formed. "...I tried...though he's with Ronnie Anne now..."

The boy shook his head at that. There were rumors circulating that Ronnie Anne had scooped up Lincoln, and that the two were presumably dating at this point. Conner heard how some girls were quite distasteful of Ronnie Anne given her brutish attitude and the fact she didn't seem interested in actually dating Lincoln until that fight at the park. However, such girls were also hypocrites, and none of them would dare try to challenge the Hispanic tomboy.

"Well...sorry to hear that..." Conner replied. The bell rang moments later. "Shoot! I gotta get to math!"

"Is it with Mr. Stevenson?"

Conner nodded. "Not sure if it's just him, but his voice makes the class even more boring..."

The girl giggled. "I got that class too." Without another word, Conner and the girl walked towards their next class. "Say, I never got your name..."

"Conner. You?"

"Cristina."

"Oooh. Aren't you that girl that transferred after that video contest back in September?" The redhead nodded. "Why was that?"

Cristina stared at the ground nervously. "It...it was to get away from L-Lincoln...I was too embarrassed to be anywhere near him...b-but now..."

Conner shook his head again. He would never quite understand girls sometimes. To him, Cristina was one of those girls that avoided a guy until it became clear that there was more to them than they originally thought. That much he learned from Carol when she would talk non-stop about certain girls. And now, she tried to actually get together with Lincoln, but lost her chance. Conner wasn't sure if Lincoln would even bother with Cristina since as far as he knew, the chip-toothed boy stayed away from Cristina since he weirded her out enough. And there was the fact he heard some of the boys threatened Lincoln about it a couple times. But, if Cristina was rather upset about it...maybe he could try and help her to stop thinking about the past. Conner rubbed the back of his head nervously just thinking about it.

However, what Conner didn't know, was that his entire interaction with Cristina had been video-taped. A ways behind the duo, another redhead was watching their interaction on his phone. Having been grounded for a while, Chandler was lucky that his parents let him keep his phone. Chandler was right when he said he had a Lincoln 'Look-alike' as a helper, but he didn't expect Conner to go and dye his hair. Granted, it wasn't actually white, but it was close enough. The ceiling lights did a good job at making look like so. A smug grin appeared on the boy's face for the first time in a while. With rumors going around that Lincoln was dating Ronnie Anne, maybe a little drama would even things out; especially with that brutish girl possibly beating the stuffing out of Lincoln for cheating on her. As for his reputation...it would be hit or miss. No one would forgive Chandler for what he did to Lana, but Lincoln would be in the same boat as him with being labeled a womanizer. However, one video wouldn't be enough. Maybe a few pictures would help seal the deal and make it official.

* * *

"Hmmm...no that won't work. Maybe I could...no no no, I did that last time! Grr!" Lola growled in frustration as she walked towards the school's main exit.

"Hey Lola, whatcha stewin' about?" Lana asked as she got within hearing distance. She was chewing gum that Lola didn't dare question where she got it from.

"I have another pageant tonight, and I'm trying to figure out what I can do for the talent portion."

The tomboy shrugged. "Don't you just do what you always do?" She blew her gum until it popped.

"I would, but this is different. I want to do something that would impress Lincoln...it's been on my mind for the last few days..."

Lana grew confused. "But he forgave us both."

"He did, but if I remember what you said, it was because he didn't want us to fight about it. Given that you help distract those mean boys from him, it's obvious on why he'd forgive you. But me? All I had to show for it is a few pictures and a letter...I know I can do better than that, but we didn't have any options at the time. Lincoln may have forgiven me, but I don't feel like I actually earned it..."

"Lola..." Lana started. "I'm sure that whatever you do, Lincoln's going to love it. 'Sides, you know what they say in the Bluebells: sometimes, you gotta step outta your comfort zone."

Lola shook her head. "They didn't actually say that. That's what _I_ said to you when you had to make a tea party."

"And I told _you_ that when you had to do something filthy _."_

"Touche..."

Exiting the school, the girls saw their mom waiting for them in the family van. Having only worked a half-day shift, Rita had time to take the girls home when they normally would've taken the bus. Opening the door, they saw Luan was already inside.

"Heeeey!" The comedian spoke.

"Hey Luan." The twins greeted.

"So girls, how was your day?" Rita asked.

"Nothing to write home about." Lana stated.

"My day was academically enriching!" Luan laughed. "But seriously, it was kinda dull."

"Same here." Lola agreed.

"My day was slightly stressful." Another voice spoke, spooking the others in the car. Turning, they all saw it was Lucy, who just entered the car. The 8 year old shut the door. "I'm still getting stuck with finding the right words for this poem."

"Well, a poem a day keeps the day away am I right?" Luan joked, electing another groan from the sisters.

One of the doors open again, and this time Lynn stepped in. The girls cringed a little at the sight of her. Lynn's hair was messy, as she hadn't touched up on it that morning, along with the evident bags around her eyes. Since her last nightmare, Lynn hadn't been keen on going to sleep at night. Lisa recommended that she could mix up something to help the jock sleep without conscience, but Lynn refused. The girl's stomach growled, making it clear that she hadn't eaten lunch either. No one wanted to have to do it, but if this kept up, they would literally make Lynn feel better with or without her consent. If all else failed, they were definitely gonna have to get Lincoln to say _something_ to her.

"So Lynn, how was your day?" Rita smiled, hoping to cheer up her daughter.

"Mmmm..." Was Junior's reply as she stared out the window.

Lana poked Lola, who was mulling to herself in thought. "Got any ideas to cheer up the upcoming Queen of MopeTown?" She whispered.

Lola gave a deadpanned look. "Like what? Throw a tea party? Play music? Do an interpretive dance for her? None of that is gonna-" The princess stopped for a moment. The gears in her head started turning as an idea formulated in her head. "Oh. My. Gosh! That's it!"

"What is?" Lucy asked.

"I'm going to perform a dance! And what better place to do it at than my next pageant!"

The other girls just shrugged.

"Uh, Lola? No offense but you've done a dance before at those pageants you always go to. I think you did one a couple weeks ago." Rita answered.

"Yes, but this time it's going to be different. I know there's some sort of interpretive dance out there I haven't tried, and I know this because I saw it in a couple mob movies."

The mother glanced at her daughter from the rear view mirror. "Wait, what?"

Realizing she said too much, Lola quickly dialed it back. "Uh, I mean I saw someone doing a really good dance at one point." She smiled nervously.

Rita looked at the princess quizzically before focusing back on the road. Lola breathed a sigh of relief at the bought lie. It wasn't long until the family finally arrived at home. As Luan, Lynn, Lucy, and Lana made their way up the stairs with Rita going into the kitchen, Lola sat herself in front of the computer and started looking for certain dance routines she could use. Within minutes, she found something of interest. Titled _Forgiveness_ by Quinn Starner, Lola pulled up a video on EyeTube to get a look at it. For the next three minutes, the little girl sat in awe at the way Quinn moved about on the stage, becoming mesmerized by her movements. The music that played during her dance, she found, was _The Quality of Mercy_ by Max Richter. With her mind made up, she did another search to print out a movement sheet she could copy. However, upon finding one, Lola grew visibly nervous. Not that she doubted her dancing skills, but these moves were quite advanced, at times requiring her to flex her legs out to their max potential. Lola wasn't at that point where she could flawlessly stretch her legs out to opposite ends without some pain. She gripped her dress nervously and glanced at the clock on the computer. The pageant started at 7, and she had a good 5 hours to practice.

The princess gave a sigh. "This is for you Lincoln..." Moving the mouse, she clicked the 'print' option.

* * *

Around 3 PM, the high school Louds arrived back home. For them, school was just another boring day. Luna talked about what kind of jam sessions she had planned later, with Leni thinking about the latest fashion trends. Lori somewhat tuned them out as she opened the door. First thing she noticed upon entering the living room was Lola, dressed in her ballet uniform, balanced on two stacks of books with her legs spread out at 160 degrees. The princess was trying to stretch them out further. The pained look on her face coupled with the frustrated growls she made indicated she wouldn't do anything otherwise.

"Um...what are you doing?" The eldest asked.

Lola flinched upon hearing her, having finally noticed them come in. "Oh hey girls! When'd you get in?"

"Just now. But whatcha up to dude?" Luna asked.

"Oh you know, just stretching for my next...pageant." Lola grunted as she tried stretching her legs out further.

Lori shook her head. "You're literally stuck, aren't you?"

Lola took offense to that. " _Me? Stuck?_ Lori you flatter me, I'm just-GRRRR!" She felt a muscle being pulled. "Ow ow ow!..." The 6 year old gave a sigh. "Ok, now I'm stuck..."

The 17 year old suppressed a snort. "I'll handle this girls. Why don't you two just go upstairs?"

Leni and Luna shrugged before carrying on with their business. Lori knelt down and picked Lola up, making the toddler whine slightly as her legs automatically swung back to their natural position. "So you wanna tell me why you were trying to do the splits?" The elder blonde put her sister down.

"I'm trying to make myself more flexible for a dance I wanna perform for my pageant tonight. I haven't done something like that before, and I've only got a few hours to prepare!"

"What kind of dance is it that made you want to literally pull a charley horse?"

Lola picked up a sheet off the floor and handed it to the teen. Lori scanned it over and was rather surprised at the elegant moves that were on it. Lola hadn't done something like this before, usually sticking to small time stuff. "Ok, what made you want to jump the gun on this?"

"You know how Lincoln had already forgiven me after me and Lana gave him our present? I still feel like I hadn't done much...Lana helped him against those bullies, while all I did was just send him a card and pictures. I want to do better, and this routine for my pageant would be perfect!" Lola looked at the floor dejectedly. "But I won't be able to do it unless I can perform a split, which I can't..."

Lori found it cute that Lola wanted to perform something in honor of her brother, and it tugged at her heartstrings seeing the toddler upset. Looking at the clock, it was a quarter-past 3. A serious look formed on her face. "What time is your pageant?"

"7. Why?"

"Come with me." Lori ordered before heading upstairs. Lola looked in confusion before following. The teen led the princess to the oldest siblings' room, where Leni was sitting on her bed reading a fashion magazine. "Leni, we need the room. Get out."

"Huh? Why?"

"I have a code 8 to deal with."

Leni squinted her eyes in confusion. "What does that mean again?"

"It means one of our siblings needs to learn something very quickly. So can you _please_ leave the room?" Her tone made it sound more like a direct order than a request, and Leni knew not to go against Lori's wishes whenever she was being serious.

"Like, ok." Leni replied before exiting the room. Lori closed the door behind her.

"So, what are you gonna teach me that Leni had to leave?" The princess asked.

The teen opened her closet. "If you want to be able to perform a perfect split, you need to be in a relaxed and peaceful state." She took off her beige shorts and pulled out what looked to be a pair of black, denim pants. "Once you manage that," She took off her sky blue shirt, "You'll be able to perform it without any conscious effort." Lori then pulled out a white tank top and slipped it on. After pulling on the pants, she took out a black scrunchy and started tying her hair into a small ponytail. "Which is why we're going to be practicing some yoga."

Lola gave an incredulous look. " _Yoga?!_ How's yoga going to help me with that dance?! And I've never seen you do a split before!"

Lori gave the toddler an annoyed look before taking a few deep breaths. She became relaxed to the point that she effectively drowned out all of the noise that was occurring throughout the rest of the second floor. Her feet spread apart in opposite directions as she sank to the ground. The look on Lola's face changed from indignant, to that of awe and amazement. Lori sank all the way to the floor, with her legs spread apart in a perfect 180.

"How...how..." The princess stammered.

"Looking after 8 people has literally made me super stressed at times. So, mom decided to have me try yoga with her. Like you, I was doubtful it'd work. But, it's actually helped me keep calm as our family grew to what it is now. I still dabble in it whenever I need to relax."

"You make it sound like it took you years to get it right..." Lola mumbled.

"Actually, it only took me a couple hours before I realized I could do a split." Bringing her legs together, Lori stood up again. "Since we have 4 hours, I'm going to teach you a few exercises that will help you focus and become relaxed. Luckily, you're already dressed for it, so we don't have to waste time with you changing." Grabbing her phone, Lori pulled up a music app and selected a song. What played was the sounds of the ocean and underwater activity, covered by a very soothing overtone. "Now, are you ready to do this? And trust me, there may be some pain involved."

Lola shrugged. "Not like I have a choice. No pain, no gain I suppose..."

"Good. Now, we'll start with some breathing exercises. Breathe in..." Both inhaled. "And out..." They exhaled. "Now in...and out...in again, and out..." This helped both of them become a bit more relaxed as they continued with the breathing exercises for a few moments. Once Lori felt Lola was calm enough, she began incorporating stretches to go along with their steady breathing. They began with the arms, getting lower to use the abdomen and back, before finally beginning to work on their legs. The two girls sat on the ground and leaned forward to stretch their cores, keeping their legs as far apart as possible.

Lola couldn't remember the last time she felt so calm, if at all. The breathing, coupled with the soothing sounds emitting from Lori's phone and the overall stretching practically made her feel as if she was floating on a cloud. Not even Luna's loud playing or Lisa's chemical explosions could distract her. As she spread her legs past their usual limit, she only felt slight pain, but she powered through it. Lori saw that the toddler's legs were quite close to reaching her intended goal, only being at 170 degrees. All she needed was a slight push.

"Now, what we're about to do next will really stretch our calves." Lori got to her feet. "Stand up." Lola did so. "Now, along with your breathing exercises, I want you to try and let your feet slide apart in opposite directions. Don't try to focus on it or you'll start to feel the pain."

Closing her eyes, Lola started with her deep breathing before slowly letting her feet slide apart. As she got halfway down, she couldn't help but peek at what she was doing. Both her legs were in opposite directions, and she looked to be close to doing a split. A smile crept on her face, before she felt her stretching muscles beginning to ache. Her toes instinctively dug into the carpet to prevent her feet from sliding out any further. Lori could see the pain on the toddler's face, but she didn't want her to back out now.

"Focus Lola. Become one with the floor."

The princess nodded and started thinking about happy thoughts. Said thoughts ranged from her tea parties to, unsurprisingly, ruling over Royal Woods with an iron fist. Seemingly at peace, the girl let herself slide all the way down to the floor. Before she knew it, she was sitting squarely on the ground in a perfect split. Lori was proud of her sister for this accomplishment, but now she needed to get used to stretching from that position so her body would grow used to it. The teen got into the same position.

"Now, breathe in, and when you exhale, lean all the way forward and hold it." Both girls did so. They held this position for a moment before Lori ordered them to breathe in as they leaned upwards. Repeating this a few times, Lori brung her legs together, a few of her joints giving a satisfying pop. "Ok, now open your eyes."

Lola did so ,and found she had actually done a perfect split. And the best part? She didn't feel an ounce of pain. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! I actually did it!" She yelled in joy. She brought her legs together before tackling her sister. "Thanks Lori!"

"Any time sis. Now, if you wanna do that dance of yours, you better hurry. It's almost 4 and mom will probably take you to your pageant at 6:30."

The toddler gave a nod before dashing out the room. Lori felt a sense of accomplishment wash over her. While she didn't have much of an idea on how to regain her brother's love, she could help her sisters out. However, a frown formed as a certain sister came to mind. Lori hated seeing Lynn like this, and while didn't want to force her to do anything, it pissed her off how the jock refused any sort of help. Turning her phone's music off, she walked into the hallway and to Lisa's room.

* * *

The next two hours were spent with Lola studying and practicing the dance routine in the basement, all while using the same song she heard on the video. Her timing was a little off during a few sequences, and a couple missteps made her trip and fall. Yet, the little princess refused to give up until she successfully mastered this dance to its fullest extent. This was the performance she was going to do in her pageant, and she'd be damned if it looked flawed. Going through the motions again, she spun, jumped, and stretched as the music increased in volume and tempo. As it grew quiet, Lola slowed her movements until the song finally ended. The 6 year old gave a bow to a pretend audience. Giving a hefty sigh, Lola stretched her limbs out to prevent any cramps from forming. She was a little tired from the many repeats she did, but she knew it would all be worth it.

Now...she needed to make sure her guest of honor would arrive. Grabbing her phone, she flipped through her contacts before she found Lincoln's number. She tapped the number, and soon, the familiar buzzing of the ringing tone was heard. "Come on Lincoln, pick up! I know you have your phone with you!..." She grumbled.

Her demands were answered when a voice replied back. _"Hello?"_

"H-Hi Linky!" Lola said nervously.

 _"Oh hey Lola. What's up?"_

"Listen, are you busy with anything tonight?"

 _"Um...not really. Why?"_

"Well I have this pageant tonight, and...I was hoping you could be there."

The line went silent as Lincoln contemplated on whether or not he should go. _"Is anyone else going with you?"_

"Besides Mom, and maybe Lana, I doubt it." Lola replied with a hint of irritation in her voice. Her sisters just didn't understand the importance of beauty pageants.

 _"And where is it at?"_

"Our school."

 _"Hmm..."_ Lincoln pondered in thought. While he might not be too happy about seeing his mother, aware of how awkward the meeting would be, he could just show up for Lola's sake. _"Sure, I'll come watch._ _"_

Lola smiled. "Thanks Linky! Be there at 7." With that, she hung up the phone. Adding a skip to her step, Lola grabbed her stuff and walked upstairs.

On the second floor, Lori knocked on Lisa and Lily's door. "Who is it?" The little prodigy asked.

"Lori." The teen replied with an irate tone.

The shuffling of small feet was heard before Lisa opened the door. "What is it, oldest sibling?"

Lori walked into the room as Lisa shut the door. Lily was in her crib, watching the two with interest. Lori paced around the room as she started to vent. "It's Lynn, Lisa. She's been moping about for literally a week and despite everyone's attempts to cheer her up, she refuses any help we try to give her. She won't eat much, she's clearly not sleeping, and she's probably hurting herself worse than that bite mark on her foot. If this keeps up, I think she's gonna keel over before Linc comes back."

"Lori, all of us are well-aware of Lynn's predicament. And I believe that you know as well as the rest of us, that the only person who could break her out of her spiral of self-loathing is our dear brother."

"But there's no telling when Lincoln _will_ come back, much less even talk to her. But if there's one thing Lynn really needs, it's rest." Lori leaned against the wall. "I don't want to see my own sister collapse out there somewhere and have to rush her to the hospital...I didn't want to have to force her to do something, but at this point, I'm more worried about her health getting worse."

"Then I suppose it was a good thing that I developed a little serum to induce catatonic suspended consciousness incase one of us decided to act." Lisa walked over to her lab table.

Lori gave a small frown. "In English please?"

The brunette grabbed a syringe from the table. "It means that Lynn will fall asleep to the point that not even her brain will be able to fabricate another nightmare." She flicked the needle, which shook off any excess residue.

"...Normally I would be very cautious about using anything you made, since they usually have some weird side effect. But are you _absolutely sure_ that this will only put her to sleep, and nothing more?"

The 4 year old nodded. "I used it on a couple test subjects." That statement made Lori give a quizzical glare at Lisa. "Relax, I didn't use one of our siblings. Just some field mice." Lisa pointed at two mice sleeping in a container.

Lori grabbed the syringe from Lisa and studied it. A clear liquid rested inside. "Now, if you are going to put Lynn in a forced sleep, I recommend only giving her a small dose. Too much, and she'll slip into a coma. Worst case scenario, she might stop breathing. You'll also need to insert it into her neck for quicker results."

Lori gave a small nod before holding the needle in a way that obscured it from view. After exiting the room, Lisa gave a sigh of relief before walking over to her closet. Soft snoring could be heard on the other side of the doors, and upon opening them, Leni was laying upside down whilst snoring peacefully. Turning to the camera, "Eh, I'm only human." Lisa grabbed Leni by her shoulders and struggled to pull her out of the closet, wanting to put her somewhere else before someone grew suspicious.

Lori walked briskly towards Lucy and Lynn's room. Poking her head in through the cracked door, she found her target lying on her bed, blankly staring at the ceiling. Lucy was nowhere to be found.

"Probably in the vents again..." Lori mused as she walked in, hiding the syringe behind her back.

Lynn turned her head as she heard the older teen's footsteps. "Hey..."

"Hey Lynn. How ya been?"

"...Same as always..." Lynn took note of how one of Lori's hands was behind her back. "What are you hiding back there?"

"Oh! Um...well...it's something to help you sleep." Lori replied, revealing the small syringe.

Lynn's eyes widened a little before she grew defiant. She sat up a little. "But I don't _want_ to sleep...every time I do, all I see is... _him..._ "

"I know Lynn, but this is supposed to make it so that you don't have another nightmare while you're sleeping. Now, please. I don't want to hurt you, but none of us like seeing you like this..."

"I don't care Lori...I deserve it anyway for driving my brother away from all of us..." The jock lied down again. "Maybe he might come back if I wasn't here at all..."

Lori clenched the syringe in anger, the tiny medical device seemingly threatening to break. "Dammit Lynn! You're not the only one who misses him! This is why I'm here in the first place! Do you honestly think hurting yourself is gonna make things better?! Sure, it's fine to feel bad, but killing yourself won't help bring Lincoln back!" She positioned the syringe properly in her fingers, her thumb on the plunger. "Now, just stay calm, and go to sleep..."

Looking back at Lori, Lynn crouched defensively. "Don't you dare come near me with that thing Lori!..."

Feeling that she was about to make a break for it, Lori dove and pinned Lynn to her bed before she could even attempt to get up. Normally, Lynn would be able to hold her own against the eldest sibling; her strength practically matching the blonde's. However, her lack of care for herself was quite evident with how easy it was for Lori to keep the 13 year old pinned despite her struggling.

Keeping one arm on the struggling brunette, Lori positioned the syringe close to Lynn's neck. "This is for your own good Lynn!"

"NO! I DON'T WANT ANOTHER NIGHTMARE! I DON'T WANT-ACK!" Lynn felt the cold needle plunge into her neck, along with a strange liquid flow into her bloodstream. Lori removed the needle as Lynn continued to struggle, tears beginning to flow from the younger teen's eyes. "YOU'RE PUTTING ME THROUGH HELL! I DON'T WANNA GO THROUGH ANOTHER DREAM!" Her cries and struggling began to cease as the drug started taking effect. "...I don't...I don't want to...Lincoln..." Within seconds, Lynn was out like a light.

Lori let up off her once it became clear she was unconscious. The teen grew nervous. She wasn't sure what exact amount she was suppose to give her, only stopping when she felt she administered the proper dose. Thankfully, Lynn's even breaths were a sign that she was indeed asleep. Lori gave a sigh of relief, thankful that Luna's loud guitar riffs had blocked out most of the sound. Quietly, Lori stepped out the room and closed the door. Her mind was a little clouded with what she just did. Did she do the right thing? Or did she just doom Lynn to suffering more nightmares without being able to wake up until the drug had worn off?...

* * *

As the sun began to set, several families were congregating at Royal Woods Consolidated to watch their little girls take part in yet another beauty pageant. Among them were of course, the Louds. With Lynn Sr. pulling another late shift at his new cooking job, Rita had to take Lola to her pageant. Surprisingly, Lana accompanied them, wanting to see what Lola had come up with. Unsurprisingly, the rest of the girls didn't come with them, but wished her luck like always. What the two Louds didn't know, was that a 3rd Loud was joining them. Lincoln had borrowed Ronnie Anne's bike and pedaled all the way to school. Despite being a little out of breath from the trip, he was going to make good on his promise to be there for his little sister. Securing the bike to a bike rack, he took off his helmet and walked inside.

The white-haired boy made it to the auditorium just as the pageant was about to start. Seeing as the seats close to the stage were already filled, Lincoln sat around the mid-back section. Once the pageant started with the contestants being introduced, Lincoln could tell Lola was looking for him amongst the crowd. He waved his hand high and smiled, which caught her attention. Lola felt a bit antsy not knowing whether Lincoln had arrived or not, and with his presence confirmed, she was put at ease. Normally, Lincoln wouldn't have attended since most of these pageants went the same way: introduction, questions about 'how to make the world a better place' or some other crap, the beauty and grace portion, and lastly the talent portion. However, having been away from his sisters for a while made the boy feel a little appreciative that one of his sisters was up there dazzling the crowd. The boy didn't expect any less from Lola, as she aced through all of the previous categories.

"Now ladies and gentlemen, it's time for our Talent Portion of this pageant! What will these little princesses have up their sleeves to win our hearts? Let's us find out, and first up, is Lola Loud!"

Lola walked up on stage as the audience clapped for her. Dressed in her ballet attire, she soaked in the attention as she grabbed the mic that had been left on the stage. "Good evening everyone! I hope you all enjoyed tonight's pageant (especially me that is), and for tonight's performance, I will perform a routine called 'Forgiveness'." This raised questions from a few in the audience, especially from the Louds. "I want to dedicate this performance, to my brother...we haven't been getting along as of late, and I wanted to tell him how sorry I am about some things I've said and done. However, I couldn't find the right words...so what better way to tell him, than to dance?"

As Lola put the mic back and signaled for her selected music to start, Lincoln was replaying Lola's message through his head. He had forgiven her, but he didn't know that she still felt like she hadn't rightfully earned it. "I guess it had been bothering her for awhile even after I forgave her and Lana..." He said with a hint of sadness. Lincoln sat on the edge of his seat to see what Lola was going to do.

Lola took even breaths, just like she practiced with Lori, before kneeling into her starting position. Once _The Quality of Mercy_ began to play, that's when she started following her routine. Her initially deliberate and slow movements spawned some confusion from the crowd, but once the music began to pick up, so did the princess. Her spins, kicks, and stretches drew some applause from the crowd, and she wasn't even finished yet. Lola's competitors looked on in awe, particularly since none of them thought Lola could perform a split. With Lincoln, the boy was mesmerized by the elegance and grace of Lola's moves, which mirrored that of a professional dancer. As the piano tune of the song began to kick in, Lola slowed down once more, and when the song finally ended, she was back into her starting position. An unanimous applause sounded throughout the whole auditorium, voicing their approval of her magnificent performance. Lola politely bowed before exiting the stage. Unbeknownst to her, her family immediately got up from their seats.

As the next contestant was called up, Lola leaned against the brick wall, giving a heavy sigh. "I hope Lincoln liked my performance. Can't believe I was holding my breath while doing that..."

"To answer your question, I did." A voice spoke to her right as a hand rested on her shoulder. Turning her head, a huge smile formed on her face.

"Linky!" Lola hugged her brother, who wholeheartedly returned it.

"Your dance was amazing Lola. I didn't even think you could do something like that."

"Dancing has always been one of my forte. Though, the dance itself was rather difficult to master."

"What do you mean?"

"I looked online and saw one titled 'Forgiveness'. I know you forgave me days ago, but..."

A small frown made it's way onto her brother's face. "Well, if I hadn't forgiven you then, you definitely earned it now. Even though you sometimes make me mad, I'm proud to have you as my sister." Happy tears formed in Lola's eyes before hugging her brother again.

"Hey Lola!" Lana yelled as she finally made it back stage, a bit surprised to see Lincoln there as well. "While I'm not into dancing, what you did was impressive. I didn't know you invited Lincoln too!"

"It was a surprise." Lola chuckled.

"Well, got room for one more?"

"Oh come here you." Lincoln teased before roping Lana into their group hug.

Several steps away, Rita watched over her three kids. She didn't want to interrupt, but this was the first time she had actually seen her son since last Thursday. He looked to be doing a lot better, especially since his hand had long since healed. The matriarch was happy to see her baby boy again, but at the same time, very nervous. Literally no contact for 7 days, just hearing bits about how he's been from the girls. She would have no doubt that Lincoln would be rather dismissive upon seeing her or her husband. However, with Leni, Luna, and Luan's successful endeavor, he might be willing to talk. Her failure as a parent wanted to make her keep to the shadows, but a mother's love for her child prompted her to come out and say something.

"Hi, Lincoln." Rita spoke uneasily.

Lincoln looked up and stared directly into his mother's eyes. Whatever happy feelings he had were replaced with indifference and awkwardness as a nervous feeling swelled in his stomach. "Hey Mom..."

 **A/N: Well, Chandler seems to have a plan up his sleeve thanks to Conner's bumbling around with his hair. Whether this Batman Gambit of his plays out like he hopes or crashes down on him is up for debate. Now, when I was thinking of ideas for what Lola could do since she felt she hadn't fully earned Lincoln's trust, I thought I would have her sing. However, I also remembered that a couple times she did dance, especially as seen in Snow Bored. If you want to find out what kind of dance Lola did, as stated in the story, go on YouTube and look for a video called 'Forgiveness. Quinn Starner.'**

 **And now, for the first time in a week, one of the parents gets the chance to talk directly to Lincoln. Will he hear Rita out? Or will he just walk right out the door?**


	18. Sharing Your Pain

**A/N: It's time to let the tension flow and for the awkwardness to consume us. Having met her son for the first time in a little more than a week, the matriarch of the Loud family is about to gloss over certain issues that no mother and child should have to talk about at such a young age. It's not gonna be easy for both sides since Lincoln is rather iffy about speaking to his parents at all due to everything that's happened, with Rita being well aware of this and feeling guilty about making her son feel like he was some mistake. So, let's see how they'll come to terms with this.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

What started as a calm night watching Lola score the winning prize in yet another beauty pageant, quickly turned into an awkward and tense affair. Despite the amount of noise generated from the crowd as another contestant finished her performance, the Louds tuned it out as Rita and Lincoln continued to stare at each other in silence after greeting one another. Neither one knew what to say, or even what they could discuss. There was a lot of things going on in Lincoln and Rita's minds that prevented their vocal cords from producing any sound, only using the excuse of the loud noise beyond the curtain as a cover. Eventually, the twins got so unnerved by the tension that they worked up excuses to get away from it: Lola pretended that she needed to keep an eye on her competition so they didn't copy her, and Lana had to use the restroom. Even with the two girls gone, the white haired child and middle-aged blonde were still trying to work up the urge to speak. But what would the mother and son say? 'Sorry that I cursed at you/thought you were a curse and everything could go back to the way they were?' Stuff like that only exists in fairy tales. Both individuals knew their relationship was damaged to the point it was almost difficult for one to address the other as a blood relative.

Rita felt it was some sort of blessing that Lincoln still referred to her as his mother. He could have easily called her by her first name, which would not only have broken her already damaged heart, but also hone in the fact he didn't see himself as her son. She could only imagine Lincoln referring to Lynn by 'sir' instead of 'dad'. At least it hadn't gotten to that point...yet. Studying the boy's face, Lincoln was biting his lower lip now, eyeing her with uncertainty, catching a gaze that matched his own. The matriarch breathed inwardly. She needed to stop acting so childish and address this now. This might be one of the few times Rita might see her son in person over the next few days, or weeks, and she'd be damned if she didn't make it count.

First...they needed a quieter location away from anyone else. "Lincoln, can we talk in the hallway? I don't think we'd be able to speak clearly with all the noise." Lincoln shifted his eyes to the floor in thought before giving a simple nod.

Without another word, the boy followed his mother across the back stage, past all the other girls prepping for their acts. Once they reached the hall, they stepped some 20 feet from the door before Rita addressed her son again. "So..." The mother spoke with a tinge of confidence. "H-How have you been so far?"

"Been doing ok for the most part." The male's response was rather curt.

"Did you enjoy your lunch with your sisters yesterday?"

Lincoln nodded, lightly scrapping his foot on the tiled floor. "Leni won a few games we played (to our surprise), the food was nice, and Luan couldn't help but crack a joke every now and then. But, it was a little rocky at first..." Guilt crept into Lincoln's features. "I...I made Luan cry after yelling at her about last April Fools...b-but we made up though. I also liked the video she and Luna made, and I was surprised that Leni actually made a bed and dresser for me..." Lincoln couldn't help but smile a little at that notion of kindness.

Rita smiled at that. She already knew about their time at Jillian's through her daughters, but it was better to hear Lincoln saying he had a good time. She also understood why he'd be cross with Luan. The whole motel prank was still ingrained in her head, as well as the punishments she doled out when they got home. Luan was grounded for two months, and Lynn Sr. had to sleep on the couch for half that time due to his involvement. All of that money lost from renting that property required the two adults to work longer than they usually would to get it all back, so their food budget was even more squared than it already was. This also had the side effect of the kid's allowances being temporarily suspended until the two adults got their finances back in order. Rita could still remember that one day where the kids fought over a quarter stuck between the sofa cushions. At least by then Lynn decided to ease their greediness by giving up the bonus he earned from doing those long hours, even though the kids tore up the house whilst trying to solve that clue.

"Well, I'm glad you had a fun time sweetie. And I'm guessing you liked Lola's performance too?"

Lincoln nodded. "She felt that I hadn't really forgiven her, even though I did days ago..."

Rita gave a small hum in response. While Lincoln's responses were laced with confidence, she could tell he still wasn't at ease. His stance indicated that he was holding onto something that he didn't want to let slip, or he was debating on whether or not he should. Whatever the boy was going to say, the mother knew it was going to be directed at her, and she wouldn't mind it. Rita felt it was coming for a while, but she would need to coerce Lincoln into speaking out. "How's it been living with the Santiagos?"

That question came out before she could stop herself. It felt like it was a bit _too_ direct, even catching Lincoln off guard. "It...it's been ok. Mr. and Mrs. Santiago are very nice people, Bobby's been like an older brother to me..." The boy's face cheeks became a faint red. "Me and Ronnie Anne got to know each other more...and it almost...it almost..." Lincoln stopped himself from saying anymore, but Rita wanted him to finish.

"Lincoln..." Rita knelt down to his level. "I know there's something you aren't telling me. I know you're still mad at me and your father, and I won't hold that against you. So I'm asking, that if you need to say something, don't worry about me being offended. You didn't hold back against your sisters, so why would you need to worry about me?..."

Lincoln stared at the floor. "...Because you're still my mom...while I was staying at Ronnie Anne's house, it felt like...like I was at home; like I actually had people who cared and loved me. I mean...it's changed a bit over the last few days but...that's what it felt like on my first few days there." He rubbed one of his arms to calm the jittery nerves building up. "Ms. Santiago was very caring and understanding, to the point that a few times she actually reminded me of you...well, I mean the old you...I could say the same for Mr. Santiago, though I didn't expect him to go and yell at dad like he did. I was reminded of all the fun times we used to have before this whole thing started, and now..." Lincoln looked at his mother. "Whenever I think about you both I just...I just get these mixed feelings that I don't know what to do. I'm mad at you guys for not doing something more sensible, but I'm also sad that..." He looked at the floor again. "That you and dad don't love me like you used to..."

Rita frowned. She had a feeling he would say that. "Lincoln...me and your father never stopped loving you-"

The child's hands balled into fists as he began to grit his teeth. "Then why mom?!" Lincoln yelled out, making the matriarch flinch back in surprise. "Why didn't you or dad do anything when it was clear that I had been lying the whole time?! Why did you think it was a good idea to lock me outside that morning?! Why were you guys so willing to listen to Lynn but quick to say I was lying, even when I was telling the truth?! Why did you even try to sell my stuff?! Were you planning on keeping me out of the house for the rest of my life?!"

The only sound emanating between the two was Lincoln's harsh breaths. Rita didn't know how to respond to the questions that were asked, aside from admitting how dumb herself and her husband acted. This lack of input from Rita began to irk Lincoln even more, seeing as his face scrunched into a deeper frown. He wanted to lay into his mother about how clear it seemed that she would rather prefer having daughters over a son, how often he had to be the reasonable one in the house when the parents were either too scared or not around to give some insight to the girls, and how it almost seemed like everyone would be quick to blame him for something, but be hesitant if a Loud sister was at fault. At least, that's what was going through the top of his head. The snow-haired child almost had a mind to start referring to Rita by her first name, something that would further exhibit the lack of trust he had with his parents. In fact, how could Rita call herself a parent anyway? Hiding from your own kids when they grow an attitude, letting said kids run without guidance and only noticing _after_ something momentous happened, on top of _locking one of your own outside over false pretenses?_

The 11 year old's hands shook uncontrollably as his rage was close to erupting. However, Lincoln put a lid on it, his angered expression turning into a solemn gaze. Giving a heavy sigh, he didn't feel angry anymore. He could get mad at his parents all he wanted, but there was one thing he could blame himself for: taking advantage of one's stupidity. He knew he could trick his sisters into buying the rumor (even Lisa shockingly), but he would admit that he should've been alarmed when his parents bought into it as well. And it wasn't the first time he tricked his sisters so they wouldn't be an issue. Added onto that, his habit of failing to realize how bad his plans could go awry have bit him in the behind more times than he could count.

Rita grew a little confused seeing her son go from outright pissed to an almost uncaring attitude. Before she could voice her concerns, Lincoln spoke. The boy shifted his hard gaze back to the floor. "...I could blame you and dad for a lot of things...but this is my fault. I lied to you all just to get some alone time...I didn't try to end this before it got too far, I should've stopped the moment when you and dad thought I really was bad luck, but what did I do? I just i-ignored it until it got o-out of hand..." He tried to make it seem like he was still ticked, but now, the seeds of depression were beginning to sprout. "I-I guess I really wasn't one of the 11 best things to come into your lives. I-I found out that the day dad took the girls to work was actually c-called 'Take Your _Child_ To Work' Day, not 'Take Your Daughters To Work' Day...you took me to work with you, but I ended up d-destroying something you worked hard on for _years_."

Lincoln unclenched his hands as he could feel his eyes become watery. "It's m-my fault you couldn't shop at the store for a while; I should've told the girls that they couldn't come. It's also my fault for getting the van destroyed...a-all over a _seat_ no l-less! H-How many times have I clogged the toilet and tried to hide it? I was even the first person to start selling stuff that wasn't on the list at our garage sale! _And_ it's my fault the house became a pigsty because I wanted a d-different c-chore! Not to mention embarrassing my own sisters for a s-stupid trophy!..." The boy feebly wiped his eyes, giving a low sniffle as his nose felt runny. "I-I know the girls had done some bad t-things...b-but I've been a t-terrible son; I wouldn't blame you if that's the reason why you g-guys almost left me at the state park that one t-time. I've been selfish so many t-times, but what happened lately really t-took the c-cake...not only did I lie to get out of being with my own f-family, I even almost had you and dad _arrested_ out of anger!..." Lincoln brought a hand to his forehead in frustration as tears began to stream down his face. "I...I didn't do it because I realized t-that I s-still loved you guys, and I didn't want you to spend life in p-prison. It's p-probably selfish of me to make you guys go t-through all of this...but at the s-same time...I just...I just d-don't know what e-else to do!..."

Rita didn't expect Lincoln to go from an anger-fueled rant to one of self-loathing. After the threat of turning his own family to the police, she had expected Lincoln to be rather jaded and cynical about this whole endeavor, especially when she finally had the chance to talk to him in person. However, the 'cynical' part only lasted for a few moments before Rita finally saw how Lincoln was really feeling. He may have been angry and heartbroken, but overall...it seemed more like a means to mask the depressed and anguished boy that stood before her now. The blonde woman could agree that Lincoln wasn't the _best_ son, but he was definitely one she wouldn't trade for anything in the world. That itself sounded rather hypocritical with the precarious position her family was in, but at least they were working to make amends. Memories of last Thursday came to mind, with Lincoln trying to hide his sad state before running away. Rita unconsciously balled her hands up. She wouldn't let that happen...not again...

The matriarch gently took her son and brought him into her embrace. Lincoln was a little startled by this action, but he didn't even try to resist. Instead, the boy became weak in the knees and began to bawl in his mother's arms. "Shh shh shh, don't worry Lincoln. It's gonna be alright..." She soothed, matting down the hair on the back of her son's head. The arm of her shirt became damp with his tears, not that she cared. Rita was just glad she was lucky enough to be able to hold him again. She wanted to cry as well, to release the pain she felt at being an incompetent parent; to pour her heart out with her son for not realizing how her actions made him feel like he wasn't _loved_. But, the mother had to steel her nerves. She had to be strong for the both of them, and two crying humans wouldn't help. After a few minutes of constant tears, Lincoln finally stopped. He gave small hiccups every now and then. "Lincoln...I know you aren't the perfect son in the world. If someone asked me the definition of one, I wouldn't know what to tell them...but if there's one thing I would say, it's that the son I have now, he's the greatest gift I had for 11 years. Me and your father have loved you since I had been carrying you inside my tummy, and loved you even more when you finally passed through my birth canal. You have made mistakes in the past, but you always made up for them and they weren't much of an inconvenience to us."

Rita gave a small pause to think back on some of the accusations Lincoln had on himself. "Well...ok it was hard to get the van reassembled and getting all the furniture in the house was no cakewalk, but it wasn't hard to shop at another store. Plus, I told you before I had lost interest on that novel some time ago. Sure, I added little bits here and there, but I already wrote myself into a corner at that point. Now, as for everything that's happened over the past week...yes, you lied about being bad luck. Yes, you didn't try to convince us otherwise until it went too far, but that's where your blame ends. Now...initially me and your father didn't believe in your 'bad luck', but...the problem for us was that the more the girls kept complaining about it, the more we started to believe it. It was a _huge_ mistake on our part for not confronting you in the first place, and...sorry for what I'm about to say dear...it was the shittiest mistake myself and your father have ever done by removing you from the house based on these silly rumors. Now...I'm not sure what would happen if we did keep you outside any longer than a night, but I'm glad that it only lasted that long. I don't..." Rita bit her lower lip. "I don't want to think about what could've happened to you if we made you sleep outside again..."

Lincoln gave a low sniffle, wiping some of the damp, salty moisture from the corners of his eyes. "I'm sure you already know none of us are happy with the prospect of you calling the police, and we never blamed you for that." Rita stated in a somber tone. She pulled away from her son a little to look him in his reddened eyes. "You ever heard of those stories on the news that were about parents being arrested for child abuse?" Lincoln gave a meek nod. "What you did was what any other child likely would've did in your situation. It wasn't selfish of you Lincoln, you were just doing the right thing..."

"B-But...what if y-you and d-dad-"

"If it happens then...we both would've deserved it. I know that I said we had 10 kids on that day and your father corrected me on that. I meant to say 11, but I was already mentally drained with talking to Lynn about his ties. You know that myself and your father don't try to pick favorites when it comes to our kids, which has resulted in some _very questionable_ situations...and because of that, we didn't change the way we handled ourselves around you guys. We ended up making you believe we preferred our daughters over you, _and_ didn't care enough about your well-being until it was too late. Even worse...we told you kids we wouldn't ever get rid of you, but look at us now..." Rita looked at the floor in shame. "You may think you've failed as a son Lincoln, but I failed you as a mother...I'm not sure how I can make it up to you, but I can assure you this: no matter what happens, I'm not going to let a situation like this happen again."

Lincoln gave a sideways glance. "How can I be sure?..." He looked back at Rita. "How can you promise me that this won't happen again?..."

Rita sighed. "I don't know sweetie...but if it does, promise me this: I don't want you to have any second thoughts about calling law enforcement once all of this is over. If we end up locking you, or your sisters, outside for _any_ illegitimate reason...don't hesitate to call the police."

Lincoln bit his lower lip in hesitation. It was different when it seemed like she'd do anything to avoid going to prison, and now, Rita was accepting whatever consequences she'd face should she ever draw such a response from her son. With how things were going so far, Lincoln didn't think he'd even have bring up the attention of law enforcement, but the determined look on Rita's face told him she wouldn't be having any second thoughts about it if he told her otherwise. "O-Ok..." The boy's voice was but a whisper when he spoke.

The two heard a pair of audible gasps. Glancing at the doors to the auditorium, the pair spotted the Loud twins poking their heads out the door. They were unsure how long they had been standing there, but it was enough to the point where they ran up to their mom with worried looks plastered on their faces.

"But mom! You can't go to jail! W-Whose gonna take care of us?!" Lola squeaked out.

"Whose going to watch us grow up?!" Lana added.

Rita gave a small smile, ruffling the hair of her daughters. "Let's just hope it's something we won't have to worry about."

This didn't calm the nerves of the children one bit. Lincoln felt his stomach sink, his eyes becoming watery again. It was one thing for him to be torn up over a decision he made, enforced by the fact he knew his threat about calling the police still loomed over the whole family. Seeing the twins on the verge of displaying their own waterworks wasn't doing him any favors.

Lola turned her attention back to the double doors, hearing a distinct sound she knew all too well. "Uh oh. They're going to announce the winners soon!" She lightly touched her face, noticing that her mascara had became runny due to her light crying. "Ah! I gotta fix my face!" The little princess dashed back into the auditorium.

Rita was about to follow before noticing the distraught look Lincoln still held. She put a hand on his shoulder in an assuring way. "Hey, it's not gonna be all that bad sweetie. I know me and your father still have to work to earn your trust again, so...how about we take you to Dairy Land this weekend? Sound fun?"

 _"Pop Pop did say I need to try to open myself up more..."_ Lincoln told himself. " _Even_ _if I'm still unsure if I_ can _forgive mom and dad, I should at least_ _give them a chance like I did with Leni, Luna, and Luan. And, I could never pass up a trip to Dairy Land."_ He nodded. "I think that would be fun."

"I'm sure it will." Rita replied before giving him a light peck to the forehead. "Now, let's go watch Lola ring in another pageant." She stood up, shaking her legs a bit due to the amount of blood rushing from them, a side effect from being crouched for a long period.

The white-headed boy's cheeks flushed red from embarrassment at the sudden affection from Rita. But, he smiled at her. He wouldn't say it out loud, but it felt nice to receive that kind of attention again from one of his real parents.

* * *

In the room shared by a certain sports fanatic and goth chick, Lynn was snoring rather loudly as she lied sprawled out on her bedspread. Snore-zilla had been like this for several hours, during which everyone (sans Lori and Lisa) in the house actually noticed. They weren't sure how she managed to get to sleep, but they didn't want to interrupt it. Lucy checked on Lynn periodically whilst working on her poem. There didn't appear to be any signs that Lynn was experiencing another night terror. She looked as if she was sleeping on any other day. The goth assumed that Lynn must've finally gotten tuckered out from trying to avoid sleep and let its sweet embrace claim her. Unfortunately, it couldn't be any further from the truth.

A familiar feeling was felt in Lynn's lower regions, meaning she was gonna have to use the bathroom soon. Her brain became active from its forced slumber, beginning the tedious process of waking up the rest of her body. Lynn stopped snoring, her vision blurred as her eyes slowly creaked open. Blinking twice, she wiped away any dead skin that formed around the lids before sitting up, the bed creaking as the weight shifted. The jock stretched her arms and legs out, grimacing slightly as her joints gave small pops. Twisting her spine to get similar results, Lynn gave a small sigh as she sat cross-legged, waited for her body to be fully awake.

"So, how was your nap?" Lucy asked, not taking her eyes off her book.

"It was fine." Lynn scratched her side. She didn't do much else for a few seconds before Lucy's words finally registered in her head. "Wait... _nap?!_ " She said in near panic.

Lucy glanced at her roommate. "You were out cold when I came in earlier. Stayed like that since 4. I thought you would have another nightmare or something, but thankfully you slept like you usually do: loud and annoying..." The 8 year old gave a low smirk before redirecting her attention to the work of literature in her hands.

Lynn glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was just a few minutes after 10. Six hours of sleep and surprisingly she hadn't had a nightmare or anything of the sort. Her mind was just stuck in a blank state the whole time. The 13 year old squinted her eyes at the clock, thinking back to how she ended up asleep. _"I was lying in bed, doing nothing spectacular...then Lori came in, and why does my neck feel so itchy?"_ She spoke inwardly, scratching the right side of her neck. Getting up, she gingerly walked up to the mirror on Lucy's side of the room. Despite looking like her usual, dreary self, the jock noted a small red spot on the side she scratched. At first, she thought Fangs had bit her again, but whenever that bat wanted to taste her blood, he always left two puncture holes very close to each other. She thought back to when Lori entered her room, recalling she had something in her hand. The jock's eyes went wide as the memory came back to her in full force.

For the first time in a while, Lynn felt something that she thought she wouldn't experience again: rage. Her oldest sister barged into her room and purposely drugged her with, whatever it was, just to get her to sleep. All while she was begging her not to do it! Did she not care about the reason the brunette was avoiding sleep? Gritting her teeth and hands balled into tight fists, Lynn shouted a single sentence that was loud enough for the adjacent rooms to hear it. "I'm gonna kill you Lori!"

Lucy looked up from her book, watching Lynn quickly grab her crutches. "Wait, why do you wanna-" The door slammed shut before she could finish.

Lynn walked as quickly as she could to the eldest Louds' room, huffing after each breath. Luna, Luan, and the twins poked their heads out to see what all the commotion was. Balancing herself on her supports, the 13 year old kicked the door open with her good foot. Both blondes were startled by the sudden intrusion, but quickly shook it off.

"Oh hey Lynn! Did you enjoy your nap like I did?" Leni asked in her usual happy tone.

Lynn ignored her. "You!" She pointed at Lori before strolling over to her bed. The other sisters peeked into the room from the doorway.

"Enjoy your nap Lynn?" Lori gave a small smirk.

"Don't act like nothing happened earlier!"

"It was for your own good Lynn." The 17 year old stated, her smirk dropping into a frown.

 _"My own good?!"_ Lynn dropped her crutches as she jumped on the bed. She grabbed the front of Lori's shirt and pulled her to within an inch of her face. "So drugging me to make me go to sleep and possibly getting another nightmare is supposed to be a _GOOD_ thing?!" The other girls (sans Lisa) gasped at this revelation.

"Well did you get any nightmares?..." Lori answered, not the least bit intimidated by Lynn's bravado.

"I!...Well...no I didn't, but-!"

"But _nothing_ Lynn." Lori prodded the younger teen's chest with her finger. "The rest of us were sick and tired of _you_ being so depressed and making yourself look worse than you already were!" She pushed against Lynn enough to make the 13 year old fall to her butt on the bed. "I didn't want to have to do it Lynn, but you didn't give me much of a choice. At the rate you were going, you were literally making your foot injury the least of your concerns. Look, I get it. You think Lincoln is never going to forgive you no matter what you do, but that doesn't mean you should literally condemn yourself to a slow death!"

"What?" Lynn folded her arms in defiance. "No one said I was _dying..._ "

"Actually, my 5th oldest sibling," Lisa cut in. "She was correct. I took a few samples whilst you were in suspended consciousness and found that your lack of needed rest has slowed down the healing process of your Achilles Heel, not to mention you were somewhat malnourished and dehydrated."

Lynn shifted uneasily at the news. "I...I didn't think it was _that_ bad..."

"Lynn..." Lori said in a more comforting tone. "Like I told you before, we _all_ miss Lincoln...it's bad enough we lost him for a while, but we don't want to lose you too. And if anything, putting you to sleep brought out the old you, the one who doesn't take any crap from anything. You almost looked ready to pound me."

Lynn rubbed her arm nervously, giving a small hum. "Sorry..."

"Don't be. Now I want you to go downstairs and eat something. Dad left some goulash in the fridge for you."

"Look, Lori. I appreciate you trying to help, but I'm not-" Lynn stopped as her stomach gave an audible growl. Lori gave a knowing smirk at being right. "Fine...I'll eat something..."

"And I don't want you to have a relapse Lynn, so we're _all_ going to be making sure you're getting proper rest, eating, and drinking until you're back on your feet."

Lynn half-glared at her older sister. She didn't need to be babysat like a toddler, but Lori's tone indicated that was more of an order than a general statement. Finding it pointless to argue, Lynn gave a simple nod before reaching for her crutches. Wordlessly, she walked past her sisters and into the bathroom. She needed to void her body of waste before she could eat something. Once the door was closed, the other sisters crowded around Lori.

"Dude, did you really do what Lynn said you did?" Luna asked.

"Yes I did. I was just glad I didn't accidentally put her in a coma."

"Well, you did use a little more than the recommended dosage, so I wouldn't be surprised if she had slept until 0200 hrs." Lisa inquired as she read a chart on her clipboard. "However, it seems it does wear off quicker when bodily needs must be met."

"Still, don't you think that's was kind of _injecting_ on her privacy?" Luan quipped, giving a short laugh. Everyone else rolled their eyes at the pun.

"Are you gonna end up using that thing more often?" Lola asked. "I watched a few videos on EyeTube about how someone can grow dependent on anti-depressants or something."

Lisa gave a low snort. "Pish posh. That serum isn't some kind of drug that would induce dependence on taking it needlessly. Too much of it and our sister could end up in a catatonic state (street name: coma) for a few days. As such, it should only be used on an 'as needed' basis, such as if Lynn were to experience another bout of depression."

"Do you think it's right to force her to get better? I mean, don't people like, do that on their own?" Leni asked.

"It pains me to say it, but I doubt Lynn would've gotten better on her own willingly. I thought she wouldn't worry about it too much after I tried to get through to her, but we all know how that worked out. Death is always cold and cruel when it comes slowly, and Lynn certainly doesn't need that." Lucy looked at the bathroom door. "We should at least be thankful one of us finally had enough spirit to do something about it."

The rest nodded. "Still, I don't want Lynn to believe Lincoln won't forgive her. I never even had a chance to talk to him yet." Lori added.

"If I may make a suggestion." The girls looked at Lisa. "If we can't get her to stop her chronic depression about Lincoln's absence, maybe we can try a different approach."

"Like what?" The oldest blonde asked.

"We could get her to accept that if Lincoln doesn't forgive her, she shouldn't let that stop her from trying to be a better person. It's a simple psychology lesson that would provide some solace to Lynn, if temporary. Besides, it's not like she made any progress over the past 168 hours."

Luna became irate at this. "Way harsh dude! So you're just gonna tell her she shouldn't even bother trying?!"

"In a way." The prodigy clarified. "We could try applying to Lynn's competitive side, which may spur something in her brain that would enable her to try. Knowing that Lynn hates coming last, and seeing as she almost looked like her usual, sporty self, it's best we try this soon before she slips back into 'Lucy Mode'."

"...I would be offended at that remark, but it's very true." The goth stated.

"Hmm..."Lori rapped her fingers on the bed. "You might be onto something Lisa...let's just hope this actually works. If it doesn't, then the only thing that would get through to her is to literally arrange for Lincoln and Lucy #2 to meet..."

Behind her dark bangs, Lucy gave a hard glare at Lori. "Don't push it..."

 **A/N: Lincoln may have been angry at his parents, but there was a huge part of him that felt that he was at fault for what's been happening with his family lately. This also stemmed from some past instances where he had tried to make plans where he could gain something from it, only to have said plans fall away in some fashion. So, in this chapter he ends up retracting some of the statements he said to his family during his huge rant. He was angry at first, but he was also hiding how much pain he was feeling, to which he let it spill out in front of his mother because he couldn't find it in his heart to be completely upset at her. There have been times in the series where it felt like the rest of the family was too dumb to catch onto what Lincoln was doing, though some episodes take it up to 11 and kinda make you grimace a little at how dumb everyone is being. It almost makes Leni look smart.**

 **Hopefully though, the parents can make it up to Lincoln at Dairy Land. And don't worry, Lynn Sr. will have his own time with his son. And as a note to Lynn Jr., if you can't help yourself, people will do it for you to make sure you get better. That's what families do for each other.**


	19. A Talk Among Friends

**A/N: I apologize to those who have waited patiently for this next update, except for those who kept spamming me with reviews to update. You do realize this is only a hobby and I have a life to deal with, right? Said reviews got deleted, but I'm talking about certain anonymous persons. They know who they are. Also, today is the anniversary of the episode that inspired this work. So, I figured, why not post it today?**

 **Anyway, with the parents set on taking Lincoln out for a nice day trip (and Lynn finally resolving to better herself) it seems the family is now on the train towards reconciliation. However, four sisters still need to prove that Lincoln can them again; along with the fact there's another plot being made behind the scenes. So, who will be next to step up to the plate?**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

There was just something about Friday that likes to let people know when the weekend is almost there. Maybe it was due to the fact that your boss seemed more relaxed on this day than every other day. Or perhaps it was that traffic was much lighter than normal this morning. Or, if you're the Loud family, you'd be in the middle of a group discussion about whatever plans you have this weekend. The current mood of the family was much different than last week. The girls were in better spirits, chatting it up to themselves about what they could do for the next two days. Lisa and Lucy passed ideas on how they could approach Lincoln, Luna had a gig she was desperate to do after having some new-found energy, Luan had another birthday party to attend; Leni wanted to visit the mall, Lana was planning on going to find another exotic reptile in the woods, and Lola was (surprisingly) going to take it easy and chill. The parents had already left for work, but not before informing their daughters that Lincoln agreed to go with them to Dairy Land tomorrow. Everyone was rather happy to hear that bit of news; even Lynn managed to smile a little. Keeping to her promise (and because her sisters would likely drag her out of bed) the 13 year old joined her family for breakfast for the first time in five days. Everyone made certain that the jock got her fill before they needed to attend school for 6.5 hours.

With Lori, she was happy to see her sisters in a cheerful mood, probably a first for them since Lincoln's absence. The oldest teen gave a side glance at the empty seat where her brother used to sit, before redirecting her attention back to her chatting siblings. The high school senior may be happy, but she also felt a little jealous. Eight days have gone by and she has yet to make any progress for what she could do for Lincoln. Over half her sisters already managed to make amends (or had plans on doing so) and if she didn't step up her game, she'd be the last one to get off Lincoln's hate list. Getting him something Ace Savvy themed sounded nice and all, but it'd be cheap compared to what her sisters have done so far. She hadn't even talked to him since he ran away, which was what her parents had dealt with until last night (well, Rita at least). She could also add Lynn into the mix, but it was well known that the 13 year old was still nervous about even being near her brother. Looking back at the sporty girl, her gaze managed to catch Lynn's as the 13 year old ate her cereal. The jock was still a little upset at being drugged the previous night, but gave an otherwise chill look before focusing back on her breakfast.

Lori took the last bite of her French Toast, the familiar feeling of frustration swelling in her stomach. From thinking about how hard she had worked to find something for Lincoln (only to second guess herself at the end) to dealing with her own sister practically starving herself _and_ helping her other sisters with their ideas for Lincoln, it left Lori little time to focus on anything else. She wouldn't say it out loud, but occasionally she felt like a second caretaker to her younger siblings. The parents wouldn't be of much help at times with their busy work schedules, so Lori would have to make sure the rest got their stuff in order before she could do her own thing. And it was a role she was given ever since Leni came into her life.

Standing up, the teen grabbed her plate to dump it in the kitchen sink; her phone shifting in her pocket with every step. Instinctively, she softly grasped it, only to pull away. Ever since Lincoln began staying with the Santiagos, Bobby rarely texted her. Lori would be lucky if he sent her a message asking if she needed any help. Putting her plate in the sink, Lori gave a slight pause as she cleaned the plate of any food particles. Since she was on that subject, when was the last time she actually talked to Lincoln about anything? As in, a lengthy chat that wasn't short and to the point, or not about negotiating something? It must've been ages ago, since her brain was drawing a blank. She fished her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through the contacts, finding Lincoln's number. Lori gave a small frown, remembering when she told her brother that she didn't have time for 'useless messages' from him. At this point, she would give anything in the world for Lincoln to call her at least once. Pursing her lips, Lori selected his number and pressed the call button.

 _"Oh please, don't act like you give a crap. Only thing you care about is texting your oh-so-precious boyfriend...you might as well be married to that phone considering how often you type on it!"_

Those words rang through Lori's head as the dial tone buzzed. Realizing what she was doing, the teen hung up. Whatever the two would discuss might be too long to talk about over the phone. Plus, Lori feared she'd be proving Lincoln right and it may seem like she was trying to shy away from a direct meet-up.

 _"I'm gonna have to do a literal face-to-face on this one...just hope little bro is willing to listen..."_ Lori sighed inwardly.

* * *

Carol walked through the halls of Royal Woods high school, a sense of calm radiating off her. Fridays typically meant the start of weekend sales at the mall, and since she had gotten her latest paycheck from her part time job, the blonde clearly had plans for the next few days. Not even the chaotic atmosphere of her school could bring her down today. In fact, her week was pretty great all around. Aside from Conner accidentally dying his hair platinum, Carol's main source of frustration resided with Lori. The 17 year old never sought out the Loud sister, as Lori would hop on the chance to rub something in her face whenever she was around.

However, what was a normal occurrence had been absent the last 8 days. Carol would see Lori at lunch, in class, or in the halls, but the Loud never made any moves towards her. All Pingrey would see is this depressed face and troubled stature, and it appeared Lori's friends didn't know how to help either. Now that she thought about it, Lori could be having boyfriend problems. A small frown formed on Carol's face. Lori tended to boast about how great Bobby was compared to her own boyfriend, something Carol would be very defensive about. Sure, Adam may not have a part time job at the moment, or do whatever Bobby does, but it wasn't like it should matter to her.

Carol blinked a few times, feeling something resting on her eyelashes. Instinctively, she pulled the foreign object, which turned out to be a couple loose eyelashes. "Dang it! Now I have to realign them..."

Making a beeline for the nearest ladies room, the blonde propped herself in front of a mirror and set to work. As she was resetting her lashes, the distinct sound of a fart cut through the otherwise silent bathroom. Using the mirror, Carol looked past her reflection to find a pair of feet covered by khaki shorts under a stall door. Another fart originated from the stall, the girl behind it giving a small sigh before the toilet was flushed. After handling her business, Lori stepped out of the stall, only to see the last person she wanted to deal with today.

Neither blonde said anything for a moment, Lori's cheeks becoming red as she realized Carol may have heard her toots. Her face quickly grew into a scowl once she got over her embarrassment. "You didn't hear anything...right?..."

"Lori, I-" Carol started as she turned to face her.

"RIGHT?!" The Loud balled her fists, making Carol back up to the sink in fear. However, that lasted for a second as Carol began to let her frustration grow. She wasn't about to let Lori push her around when she didn't even do anything to offend her.

"What the heck is your problem?! All I do is say 'hi' to you or like that, and you make it seem like I somehow offended you! I didn't even do anything!"

"Oh, like you weren't planning on telling your friends on Facebook about the times I actually farted when I said it was my shoes!"

Carol raised an eyebrow. "Wha?...Why would I even do that?"

Lori folded her arms. "Uh, obviously because you'd try to make a statement that you're better than me at literally _everything_ _?_ " She started counting on her fingers. "Prom Queen, Bluebell Scouts, cooking class, _golfing?!"_

Carol put an open hand in front of Lori's face to silence her. "Hold the phone. You think _I'm_ better than you, just because I won a few things and you didn't?"

Lori fumed silently for a moment. "Well why wouldn't you be? Aside from what I just said, you're practically better looking, have better grades, you probably have a nice family too, a nice..." Lori paused for a moment. "B-Boyfriend who still loves you and..." Her voice was beginning to break as a few angry tears started to leak out. "A-A brother who doesn't think you're the worst sister ever!..."

The Loud girl gave shaky breaths, putting a hand to her mouth to muffle the small cries she gave. Her mascara began to run down from her eyes as her tears ruined them. Lori hadn't cried not once since this whole affair began. She felt that she needed to be strong for her siblings' sake (and Lynn was doing most of the crying once the realization fully hit her). Yet, those walls she built up had worn down each time she was reminded of the strained relationship she had with Lincoln, even before this whole 'luck' incident started. The fact Bobby knew about it and practically friend-zoned her tore that bridge down hard. It was only a matter of time before she finally let the water works loose.

A part of Lori was waiting for her rival to make a condensing comment about her plight. If so much as a snide remark left Carol's lips, Lori would surely wire the teen's mouth shut. She really needed a reason to clean her clock. Instead, she got an entirely different response.

"Lori...are you having problems at home?..." Carol's voice was sincere and concerning, prompting Lori to nod. "I'm...I'm sorry to hear that. I mean, I couldn't imagine how I'd feel if Conner hated me, but I thought you might've been having boyfriend troubles since I haven't seen you with Bobby lately and-"

"It's both..." Lori clarified.

"Oh..."

"Today I was gonna find Lincoln and talk with him for the first time in a week...and I'm still a little nervous about doing it."

Carol tapped her chin. "Lincoln...Lincoln...wait, wasn't he that white-haired boy that invited me to your house for a picture that one time?" Her questioning gaze lowered to that of a frown. "And you slammed the door in my face?..."

Lori pursed her lips. "Yeah, that was him..."

"Riight..." Carol shifted her stance a bit. "So...why are you nervous about talking to Lincoln?"

The Loud girl wiped her eyes clean, noting the black marks on her fingers. "Let's just say, me and Linc have a rather tedious relationship..."

"How'd that happen? I thought all of your siblings looked up to you, while my sister is an emo for whatever reason and my brother can be very annoying at times." Carol folded her arms. "I still don't know why you thought I was better than you either. You have 11 great siblings, you made the varsity golf team when we were freshman (and it took me a year to get into that). You also have _way_ more friends than I do, and don't even get me started on your hair." Carol looks at her reflection. "I went through six cans of dry shampoo and it's still stuck in this curly bend." She slumped her shoulders. "And my brother used the last of my shampoo and turned his hair white like an idiot..."

Lori sulked her shoulders, eyes glued to the tiled floor in guilt. Not only was she dealing with having a bad relationship on two fronts, but now she realized she had done nothing but bully someone who didn't even deserve her ire; all because of the Loud girl's own pettiness.

"...I'm sorry Carol..."

Carol looked back at the other blonde. "Huh?"

"I'm sorry for acting like a total bitch to you for all these years..."

Carol winced a little at Lori's language. "Well, I wouldn't say you were a-"

"Don't try to sugarcoat it; you know it's true. All I've done was antagonize you and boast about how great I was, just to try and one up you for a stupid reason." Lori started to grit her teeth. "You know the last time we had a good conversation? That was way back when we were bluebells!" Hot tears started to pour from her eyes. "I even ended our friendship just because you got more badges than I did!" The Loud girl walked up to the sink, staring at the sad form that was her reflection. "What if my brother doesn't want to speak to me for years?...Everyone I know is gonna hate me forever..."

Carol put a hand on Lori's shoulder. "I don't hate you. Sure, you may have been a bit boastful, and a jerk, and saying mean things about me behind my back, and probably making crazy accusations about me to your friends-" The blonde noted Lori's face forming a deeper frown. "Ok besides that. I couldn't really hate you even if I tried Lori. I mean, unless you did something to my siblings or parents, then I would. But I doubt I could literally be that angry with you."

"I don't get it though...just how?..." Lori looked Carol in the eye. "How can you be so forgiving to someone whose done nothing but give you grief for the past 10 years?"

Pingrey just gave a shrug. "I guess I don't really have a mean bone in my body. I get annoyed, sure; but I've never hit someone. I've never even been in a fight to be honest, since I think they're pointless. Plus, between you and me..." Carol looked back at the bathroom door for a moment, hoping it wouldn't open at that second. "I don't actually know how to fight..." She whispered.

Lori didn't know how to respond to that, so Carol continued. "But, back to the other topic, does your brother still love you?"

Considering that Lincoln hadn't called the police and was slowly forgiving the family, "I guess... "

"Then I'm sure he'll probably listen to you. Lincoln seemed like a nice boy, so I doubt he'd stay mad at you for long. If he's like Conner, he probably just wants you to prove something to him."

"...The last thing I heard from him was that he wanted me to prove that I loved him...but the thing is, I don't know how to express that. My other sisters already have ideas, while I have ziltch..."

"Well, what does he like?"

"Typical boy stuff: video games, Ace Savvy, Muscle Fish, the usual. My sisters already took some ideas from that pile though."

Carol hummed in thought. "Well, I got plans to head to the mall after school. Why don't we check it out and see what we can find?"

Lori wasn't as optimistic at the idea, seeing that her prior visit to that location with Bobby didn't bear any fruit. But, it wasn't like she had any better ideas. "Alright, I guess. But first, I have to talk with my brother after school."

"That'll work." Carol dug into her purse. "Now let's fix up your face. No offense Lori, but staring at that ruined mascara is hurting my eyes."

Lori glanced back at the mirror before giving a shrilled cry. Grabbing a handful of paper towels, the girls set to work.

* * *

"Ready to shred some air today Lame-O?" Ronalda gently slugged her boyfriend in the shoulder.

Lincoln winced slightly, readjusting his backpack. "I-I guess. Just nervous is all."

"Don't worry about that." The Hispanic girl put an arm around his shoulder. "You got the best trainer around. Plus, my mom can patch your face up quickly if you land on it." She pointed a finger at his teeth. "I highly advise that you don't though."

"Gee, that makes me feel _so_ much better..." Came the white haired boy's sarcastic remark.

"Does not having to do homework count? Plus, you're going to Dairy Land tomorrow."

Lincoln shifted his eyes to the side. "Mmmmmm...somewhat."

School was hardly an issue on Fridays, and for Lincoln, the day went by pretty quick due to being plagued with thoughts about his impending doom on a skateboard; and the upcoming trip to Dairy Land with his parents. Talking with his mother had eased the nervousness in his stomach to a degree, but Lincoln still hadn't talked with his father at all. The last major thing he remembered was how his dad didn't seem to care about how a giant reptile nearly made a snack out of him. This in turn led to Lincoln remembering how he was asked to step away from the house. He couldn't help but form a small glare at that memory. There was definitely a lot Lincoln and Lynn Sr. would need to discuss on those matters, especially if Lynn wanted to be recognized as a father again.

Seeing Lincoln delving into his thoughts, Ronnie Anne decided to cut him off. "So, you still taking me to Jillian's at some point?"

Lincoln blinked as he regained his awareness, a small blush crossing his face. "Y-Yeah. When would you like to go?"

" _You're_ the one taking me on this date Lincoln. So _you_ got to plan it. Can't exactly call yourself a man if you don't take the reigns. I mean, I would if I could, but you're supposed to be the one with the pants here."

Lincoln deadpanned a bit at the snide remark to his masculinity, but he knew Ronalda was joking around. However, he didn't know the first thing about real dating. He doubted Ronnie Anne knew, but for the first time in a while, the white-haired child knew he would have to think of something to actually impress her. He could probably ask some of his sisters for advice, but...given their history at being 'experts', that probably wouldn't go over too well.

Unless...

"Hey Linc. I'm not sure if it's just me, but does it look like there are _two_ Loris?" Ronnie Anne spoke out, pointing towards a teenaged girl waiting at the corner of the street.

Sure enough, it was the eldest Loud sibling, along with another blonde haired girl that was leaning against a silver 2014 Chevy Cruze. Lori looked as if she was expecting someone, while the other girl was on her phone. Lincoln squinted his eyes a bit to try and figure out who the other girl was. Her style of clothing looked very familiar, the way her hair was curled near her waist stood out like a sore thumb, and her likeness to Lori was so close that one might assume they were sisters.

Confusion overtook Lincoln once one person came to mind. "That's not another Lori, that's Carol Pingrey!"

"Who?"

"She's been Lori's rival ever since they were kids. But what are they doing together?"

The blondes must've heard Lincoln shout, seeing as they glanced in their direction. Lori gave a small smile and waved them over. The 11 year olds were hesitant at first. Lincoln was wondering if this was some kind of trick, especially since the teens were next to a car. Ronnie Anne couldn't help but feel a slight irritation burning in her chest. It might've been due to the fact Roberto was somewhat dating what she silently termed Lori as 'a bitch in sheep's clothing'. Or, she was still upset with most of the girls for their past treatment of Lincoln. Didn't matter much though, because she would take on both girls if necessary; even though they were much taller and stronger.

Once the two got within earshot, Lori finally piped up. "Hey Lincoln. How was your day?" Something seemed a little off about her voice. It sounded almost _too_ sweet.

Lincoln shrugged. "Good I guess. Didn't really notice it cause I've been distracted." He paused. "What about you?"

"It...could've been better." The teen replied uneasily.

"Right..." Lincoln folded his arms. "So what's the real reason you're out here?" He glanced at the other blonde. "With Carol no less? I thought you hated her."

"That's a long story...and I came out here cause I wanted to talk."

"About what?"

Lori gave a small frown, shifting her gaze to the ground. "Everything..."

At that point, Ronnie Anne decided to join Carol off to the side. As she leaned on the car, she watched the blonde in the corner of her eye, who occasionally looked up from her phone to watch the Louds. The Hispanic girl studied the car, admiring what she was seeing. For a 4 year old car, it was still in pristine condition.

"So, this car yours?"

"Pfff." Carol snorted. "I wish. It's my mom's. I actually want an Acura when I get my own car. What about you?"

Ronnie Anne gave a shrug. "I don't know much about cars besides how good they look."

"That's fine." Carol paused. "So, are you Lincoln's girlfriend or just a girl friend?"

"Uhh..." Ronnie Anne sputtered out, unsure of how to answer that.

Whilst Ronnie Anne and Carol were talking...

"Lincoln, let me ask you this: what do you think of me as a sister? From the first time you were born, all the way up to now. And don't be afraid to insult me...I just want you to be honest."

Lincoln pursed his lips, rapping his fingers against his shoulder as he stared up into the clear blue sky. In all honesty, there was so much he could say about Lori that one or two words wouldn't be enough to describe her. She brought him a mixed bag of polar opposite emotions. Lori would make him feel happy one moment, then sad the next; feel on top of the world and at the bottom of the barrel, feel free of troubles and feel like everything was his problem. Lincoln looked at the ground as he continued to form his response. He thought about the times Lori did something nice for him out of the kindness of her heart, and not when she needed a favor from him. He also thought about the times her words alone made him feel like he meant so little to her. It wasn't the first time he thought about it either. Having spent a good amount of time away from the antics of his family, certain memories crossed his mind that, at first, he paid little attention to. These memories were incidents where his sisters would berate him a bit harsher than intended. At the time, Lincoln had shrugged off their insult, but the alone time he had gave him the opportunity to revisit those negative moments.

"...There's a lot I could say about you Lori. You can be a very nice sister whose always there for us when we need it, and then there are times where you really come across as very selfish ,to the point that sometimes I think you take pleasure in using us as slaves. Not counting recently, I've seen you as sort of in the 'middle ground' so to speak."

"Middle ground?" Lori asked.

"Basically...you make me feel like I'm at the top of my game and dead last, at the same time. Though...if I had to be honest, it's been more of the second part lately." Lincoln put his hands in his pockets. "Whenever you make fun of me, I would just ignore it like it was nothing. But...after having had time to think some things over, I couldn't help but feel like I hardly mean anything to you..."

Lori rubbed her arm, knowing where this was going.

"Remember the time the toilet had been clogged, and you said that princess pony was _worse_ than me?" The teen nodded. "I didn't care much about the insult back then, but now...it hurts..." Lincoln curled his hands into fists. " It hurts knowing that you actually think that way about me. I don't even know how I'm supposed to handle that one of my sisters thinks a _book_ is worse than their own brother. Doesn't help how all of you teased me about it for weeks before you finally decided to stop. Even more so, when I was trying to think of a new anniversary present for our parents, you said it was hard to make fun of me when I was panicking. I was practically devastated enough as it was, knowing mom and dad just throw my gifts up to the attic to be forgotten, while they still have you guy's presents out in the open somewhere." The boy shifted his gaze towards his sister. "Does it make you happy letting me feel like I can't be like you, or our sisters?"

Lori couldn't say anything for a moment. "Well, no. I-"

"And then there was the time you sabotaged Leni's driving exam, after me and the others spent _hours_ doing what seemed impossible. Sure, you regretted it and taught her how to drive afterwards, but the fact you felt so jealous that you needed to do it in the first place is just..." Lincoln bit his lower lip. "I can't even find the right words for it..." A glare started to form on the boy's face. "Then, there are the numerous times you've kicked me out of your room even when I accidentally walk in there. I don't see you doing it to any of our sisters, and it's Leni's room too, so sometimes I keep wondering to myself why you act like you're the only one living in there. And the funny thing is..." He tapped his foot as a means to vent out his growing frustration. "You and everyone else feel the need to barge into _my_ room whenever you feel like it! It's like you girls are trying to make a statement that, as the only brother, I can't have my own privacy; but I have to let you girls have it or else I'll get turned into a human pretzel!"

Ronnie Anne wasn't too surprised at this, the scowl on her face quite evident. Carol was the exact opposite. Lori hung her head in shame, not forming any sort of response as she felt Lincoln wasn't done with his rant.

"Many times, my own sisters would make fun of me, whether it be from my gender or some lack of accomplishment. It takes _a lot_ to get me really mad, if what happened that Thursday night proved anything. Not counting the past week, I've hardly (if at all) insulted my own sisters with bad words. Part of it is because I think you girls would gang up on me and make me apologize, even if I wasn't the one who started it. Another is because..." Lincoln sighed. "I'm just not that kind of person...I usually don't mind the insults, but I guess I can say that over time...they finally got under my skin. But the worst part, was knowing my favorite sister had a hand in it..."

Lori grew a little confused. "Wait...I never heard about Luna bad-mouthing you. She's usually chill until she gets into one of her music crazes."

Lincoln shook his head. "I'm not talking about Luna..." He rubbed his arm in a sheepish manner, directing his focus back on Lori. "I'm talking about the sister standing in front of me..."

The shocked look on Lori's face spoke volumes. _"_ I'm _his favorite?"_ That single sentence ran through her head continuously. "B-But...mom and dad...a-and you literally wrote that one letter-" She sputtered out.

"Yeah, mom and dad had made Luna look after me the most when we were younger. But, I think that's only because she could get me to sleep if I started crying." Lincoln scratched the area where his turkey feathers stood up. "Now, don't get me wrong. Luna is a cool big sis, but I didn't think she was as cool as you Lori. As for the 'why BLANK is the worst sister ever'..." Lincoln stared at the ground. "That was in the heat of the moment. You did sit on my gaming goggles and not apologize until _after_ you got a new pair. And even then, your apology didn't sound like you meant it." He returned his gaze back to Lori. "I still remember how often you'd be there for me when I was still in diapers, all the way until I started 1st grade."

"So...what happened after that?" Carol asked out of the blue.

"...Around middle school, I started getting more involved with social groups; and got a few gal pals to hang out with..." Lori stated.

"Which, I didn't mind at first. But...I kinda started to miss hanging out with you until I got into my own stuff. Even met Clyde that same year. So, I guess it worked out in the end...but I would never forget about the fun times we had. Now these days, you seemed more preoccupied with your phone than anything else." An annoyed look formed. "Not that we're allowed to call you anyways, cause our messages would be 'useless'." The boy quoted with his fingers. "And on top of that, you become a huge control freak at times. But, I can at least understand why..." Lincoln shuffled his backpack on his shoulders, feeling one of the straps sliding off. "I know you're in the same boat as the rest of our family Lori, but I gotta ask this: As many times as you've threatened to turn me into a human pretzel...would you have actually done it?"

The eldest Loud shook her head. "I wouldn't have...only reason I say stuff like that is because I knew it would get you to listen."

"You mean like how _Lynn_ threatened me with a bat just so she could drag me to her game?..."

Lori put her hands out in defense. "Ok first off bro, I've _never_ threaten you with an object like that."

Lincoln gave a look that said he clearly wasn't buying it. "Oh, so you didn't threaten to smash me with that nightstand after Bobby broke up with you because I insulted Ronnie Anne?"

Lori paused for a moment. "Ok...I did. But, there's more to that situation than you think."

The white-haired boy folded his arms. "Like what?..."

"...We were gonna keep this a secret, but I might as well tell you. Me and Roberto didn't break up, but Ronnie Anne was upset that you had insulted her like that." The Hispanic girl went wide eyed at being mentioned before she sunk her head into her hoodie. "So, we decided to help you guys make up by staging a double date. We figured by pretending to be over each other, you'd try to patch things up with Ronnie Anne. Now that I think about it, that idea was kinda dumb. I mean, I couldn't even think up a good reason for the break up."

Lincoln gave a confused look. "But...you were crying and eating ice cream when I got home."

"That's because I was watching a soap opera. I had to skip forward to the really sad parts because you were gonna be home soon." Lori leaned against a lamp post. "I thought you'd want to patch things up for my sake (which might've been pushing it a bit...), but when you refused, I had to think of something quick to get you to say yes. Grabbing the nightstand wasn't my best idea, and I'm sure if mom and dad saw that, they'd ground me until I left for college. But it did get you to come with me." The blonde gave a low sigh. "Pretending to not be together was literally torture, and Bobby actually threatened to dump me when you insulted his sister again..." The teen smiled. "But seeing you kiss Ronnie Anne that day made it worth it."

The two 11 year olds gave a small blush at that memory. Lincoln had to give his older sister credit. Despite the fact the two teens could've thought up something better, it was a smart play on reverse psychology. Lori walked up to Lincoln and knelt down to his level. "Lincoln...I know I haven't been the best sister in the world. I've probably been the worst...and I'm really sorry for everything I've done to you in the past. I've said some things that shouldn't have been said at your expense, and didn't care enough about your feelings, but don't think for a second that I never stopped loving you; nor think that you don't mean anything to me. Back when I found that letter you wrote about me, you remember I was mad at you, right?"

Lincoln nodded.

"I was angry, for a few minutes." Lori looked up at the sky, spotting the contrails of a large plane. "You didn't see me for a while after that because I was sulking in my room. I couldn't believe that, out of the 10 sisters you have, I'm ranked as the worst. Leni knew about it, but she forgot about it within a couple minutes. However, I realized crying about it wouldn't do me any good, so I wanted to prove that I was one of your best sisters. That's what motivated me to get that job at Gus' Games n Grub after you told me they were hiring." She looked back at her brother. "When you started using me for too many favors and landing me in hot water with my boss...I was literally heartbroken for two reasons. Aside from the fact I couldn't attend prom with Bobby, you didn't seem appreciative to what I did for you. I thought that maybe trying to change your mind was pointless. But then..." The teen gave a warm smile. "You proved me wrong on that end and allowed me to have one of the best nights of my life, and I couldn't have asked anyone in the world for a better brother."

Lincoln watched as Lori's happiness turned into that of sorrow. "But time and time again, I would forget how much you did for me and our sisters. Sometimes we'd take advantage of your generosity, make fun of you in a not-so-kind way, disrespect your privacy, make it feel like it's us versus you..." Lori pursed her lips together. "But worst of all...we treated you like you were some kind of bad hoax. I don't even care that you purposely broke my golf clubs. I just want you to come back home...it's just not the same without you..."

Guilt filled Lincoln in a way that was similar to how he talked with his mother the previous night. His thoughts to return home grew as he learned to trust his family again, especially after they were making it clear just how much they regretted making him out to be a pariah of the family. Yet, there were still a few issues left at the house before he could call it home again.

"For the last few days I've tried coming up with _something_ that would show you just how much you mean to me as a brother, but I've either been lacking ideas or had to help the girls with their ideas." Lori folded her arms. "I'm actually a little jealous of them..."

Lincoln raised an eyebrow. "Is it because you aren't as creative?"

"No...well, sort of. But it's mainly because it's always been my duty as the oldest to look after _all_ of you. Mom and dad can't be there to help them since they have real jobs and need to think of their own ideas for you. Sure, Mom helped Leni pick out a mattress for your new bed, but..." Lori started counting off her fingers. "I've helped Lola with a dance she was practicing for a pageant, Luan and Luna needed some video editing help, Lucy's been coming to me for rhymes, Leni constantly needed help remembering where she put her tools..." The blonde gave a sigh. "I could've just not helped them but...I already failed you before, so I didn't want to do the same to them...you'll understand this when you're older, but it's hard being the 3rd parent in the house all the time..."

The boy nodded in agreement. "I kinda do already. I always have to help my others sisters with stuff they do, even when I don't feel like it. Lucy wants poem advice, Lola wants pageant help, Luan and Luna always test their stuff on me, Lana needs help with her pets, and Lisa always wants a test subject..."

Lori nodded. "They do...but you've only had to be an older brother for 8 years Lincoln. You've always had someone to look after you the day you were born; the baby of the family for 2 and 1/2 years even. Me?...I was only the baby for _nine months_ before Leni was born. Since then, I've always had a younger sibling to be responsible for day in and day out. And that number kept growing, all the way up to 10. For 17 years, I've had to look after 10 kids; and if mom and dad have another baby, I think I'm going to go a crazy..." Lori looks up as she rubbed the top of her head. "Every few weeks, I always check to see if I'm getting gray hairs..."

Lincoln smirked a little. "If you started getting gray hairs back then, your hair would be as white as mine."

Everyone laughed a bit at that joke. Lincoln gave a small huff. "Aside from that letter I wrote, I would never truly say you're the _worst_ sister I have Lori. You have your problems, I won't deny that..." The boy furrowed his brows. "But at least you don't use me as a training dummy for an ego boost, and know when to realize something is your fault...plus, at least you're trying."

Lori shifted her gaze along the ground. It shouldn't surprise her that Lincoln still held a good amount of resentment towards Lynn, but between Lynn nearly destroying herself and Lincoln's attitude, it was clear her brother was completely unaware of what was going on at home. "Linc...I know you still hate Lynn, but you don't know what she's been doing to herself. You still remember when she ran into you coming home a couple days ago?"

Lincoln stayed silent for a moment before answering. "She...just asked me how I was doing before taking off in a hurry. I was actually surprised she had crutches with her."

"You broke her Achilles Tendon when you bit her foot bro. She can hardly walk without some support. Not only that, but since the day you ran from home, she literally hasn't been herself. Like, at all. Lynn's been acting like a second Lucy for an entire week. Not only that, she wouldn't eat or sleep because she's been so depressed thinking about how she caused everything that happened, and how you'll never forgive her. It got to a point where the rest of us are making her take care of herself. You might not believe it coming from me, but that's what's been going on with us lately."

Contrary to Lori's expectation, Lincoln was quite surprised, shocked even. Indeed, he wasn't sure if this was a real truth or a fabricated story, but it did explain why Lynn appeared disheveled and shaken up at their unexpected encounter. Judging by his uneasy posture, Lori could tell Lincoln didn't know what to do with this information. She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Lincoln, this might be too big of a favor to ask of you...but could you at least find it in your heart to try and talk to Lynn? We've just gotten her to actually eat something today, and I don't want to see her going through another relapse or worse..."

The white-headed boy looked his sister in the eyes before glancing at the ground, biting his lip in thought. There were two issues with this task. With a substantial grade difference between them, Lincoln didn't see Lynn all that much during school. Not counting what happened on Tuesday, he sure as heck didn't see one strand of hair from her throughout the entire week. The other problem? Lincoln knew he was still a bit hesitant to even speak to the sports fanatic. After everything Lynn did to him, from this whole dilemma to past events, Lincoln was practically certain he'd clean Lynn's clock if they ever saw each other again. And yet, it seemed like an empty threat with how he just let her walk away without injury. The boy still saw Lucy on occasion, and he felt a little sick to his stomach as he recalled their last meeting.

 _"Guess being with my other sisters has, as Lisa might say, opened my eyes to how dumb I was being."_ Lincoln thought to himself. With a small nod, "I'll try...if she doesn't try to run away that is."

Carol glanced at the time on her phone, giving a shrill scream that took Ronnie Anne by surprise. "Lori! We gotta get to the mall before all the good clothes get sold out!"

"Oh shoot!" Lori quickly brought her brother into a hug before sprinting to open the passenger door. Carol slid over the hood to get in on the driver side. "See you around Lincoln!"

The car's tires squealed at the sudden slam on the accelerator. As it took off, Ronalda rejoined Lincoln's side, rubbing her sore ear. "What do you think they're going to the mall for?"

Lincoln smiled a little. "Lori showing she's serious about this."

Carol had a firm grip on the wheel as she drove through the neighborhood at a rather unsafe speed. "So...do you think he forgave you?"

Lori lied back in the seat. "No." She looked at the rear view mirror as the two kids faded into the background. "But it's a start."

* * *

"Uh...do I really have to do this?" Lincoln spoke uneasily, a skateboard clutched in his right hand. His lefty nervously fiddled with the strap of the blue helmet that sat on his head. For safety's sake, he also wore knee and elbow pads.

"A bet's a bet, Lame-O." Ronnie Anne grinned, holding her own board. Her ponytail was tucked away in the velvet helmet that sat on her head. Normally, she didn't wear a helmet, but Maria wasn't taking any chances today. She still lacked any joint padding though. "Unless you're saying you're a giant chicken.

Lincoln's cheeks flushed red as he glared at the tomboy. "I-I'm not! I just never rode a skateboard before..."

The Hispanic girl met his glare with a smirk. "You rode downhill on a pair of skates. It's similar to that, but less movement with your feet."

"That was because we were gonna be late to school." Lincoln looked around to make sure no one was close by. "And I puked..." He whispered.

"Well then, hope you didn't have a heavy lunch babe, cause we're gonna be shredding," Lincoln gulped. "Spinning," The boy felt his stomach churn a bit. "Flipping," His cheeks turned a light shade of green. "And undulating here and there." Lincoln's cheeks puffed up a little as he felt part of his lunch come up, but he swallowed it back down.

The boy was sweating bullets as he glanced around the skate park. It wasn't very big, as it contained only a few half-pipes that sat above ground. The rest of the area had a large pit that opened up closer to the center, even having some rails in place on small slopes for anyone feeling daring enough to grind them. Ronnie Anne wanted to started small, so she had them at the pit. For a Friday, it wasn't too crowded; but it was enough where the chance of colliding with another person was substantial.

Ronalda knew Lincoln would be nervous about doing this, so she'd have to ease him into the mood. Putting an arm around him, "Don't worry Linc. Like I said before, you've got the best trainer out here. I'll teach you everything I know, and in time, you too will be able to shred in style." She waved her hand out in the air to emphasize her point.

 _"Or wind up needing stitches..."_ Lincoln told himself.

"Anyway, you do know how to stand on a skateboard right?"

Lincoln nodded, putting his board on the ground before stepping on it. Unfortunately, he put too much weight onto the back end, forcing the board to slide out from under him. The chip-toothed boy landed on his back in a heap as his board went off before stopping against a pole. Ronnie Anne shook her head. "We're gonna have to start from Step 1..." She muttered.

After grabbing Lincoln's board, she placed it back in front of him once he got to his feet. "First thing about riding a board, is balance. You can't put too much weight on either side, or it'll slip out from under you. Like I said before, it's like riding on skates; but in this case, it's easier because unlike roller blades, you don't have to individually control each foot as much. Now, get on."

Lincoln did so. The board wobbled under his weight a little before he stood perfectly still. The boy smiled at his accomplishment before he unintentionally shifted his weight. The board was about to come out from under him again, but this time, Ronnie Anne gripped his waist to keep him balanced. She laughed a little. "Try not to move so much Lame-O."

After spending a few minutes helping Lincoln properly balance himself, the tomboy felt it was time to start the other part of using a skateboard: riding it. Ronalda went into the pit first so Lincoln could see how to do it. She stepped onto her board with ease, riding down the slope to gain speed before going up the incline on the opposite side. She didn't go all the way up to the edge, just enough so she'd have the momentum to reach the side she started on. When the Hispanic girl came back, Lincoln gave it a shot. Needless to say, it was like one of those videos of someone failing badly at skateboarding. First time Lincoln went down the slope, too much forward momentum made him come crashing down the slope. Second time, he leaned back too much and the board literally went flying into the air, only to come back down on his helmet. Third time's the charm, Lincoln actually managed to get out to the middle of the pit without falling over. He was a little slow, but Ronalda didn't mind. She watched the Loud boy make it all the way to the opposite side, doing a slow turn before heading back to her. The tomboy noted that Lincoln almost lost his balance again when going up the incline, but she'd work with him on that later.

As Lincoln was coming back, he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. As such, he didn't see a certain tall brunette coming at him from the side with her eyes closed. The resulting collision made Lincoln groan in pain as he slid on his stomach for a few feet, feeling some skin being ripped off. "Ugh..."

"Oh, sorry about that Lincoln!" A feminine voice said in shock.

Twisting his head around, "Polly Pain?"

"The one and only!" Polly put a hand out and helped him up. "Probably shouldn't have had my eyes closed."

"Yeah, way to go moron." Ronalda chided the tall girl as she rode up to them. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, I said I was sorry. And besides, I always come here every Friday to stretch mah blades out. Or in this case, break these new puppies in!" She pointed to the new set of roller blades she was wearing. Unlike her last pair, these had a slightly different color scheme and certainly didn't look like they had been long put through their paces. Lincoln assumed Polly's old pair must've finally broke from all the abuse she gave them.

Polly looked the two over. Lincoln lifted his shirt to check his stomach area, and sure enough, there were some red scratch marks. He could just walk it off. Ronnie Anne glanced at the injury before glaring at the derby girl. Given what she heard from school, Polly quickly deduced the following: "So, did I interrupt your date?"

Both kids became flustered, with Ronnie Anne trying to formulate a response. "I-It's not a-" She started.

"No no. Don't worry. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." Polly winked with a wide grin as she skated backwards from them.

Ronalda looked like she was about to yell her head off when Lincoln got her attention. "It doesn't look that bad, right?" He gestured at his stomach.

The Hispanic girl turned to her friend, getting a better look at his gut. Only the surface of the skin was torn, so Lincoln didn't risk any bleeding. Just some mild discomfort at best. "No. You'll be fine, but I better put something on it first."

Taking him to a nearby bench, Lincoln sat down as Ronnie Anne shuffled through their bag. She grabbed some ointment and dabbed a bit on her fingers. Lincoln sat up straight, grimacing a little as his injured area was stretched out. He instinctively recoiled when Ronnie Anne's fingers touched his bare skin.

"Stop moving."

"It's cold!"

"Well, Neosporin isn't supposed to be warm is it?" The girl retorted. She gently rubbed the formula on Lincoln's stomach, getting irritated as he started moving again. She popped him semi-hard on his stomach, electing a small whine from him. "I said stop moving!"

Lincoln chuckled a little. "I-It tickles." He continued to stifle his laughter as Ronnie Anne continued applying the ointment.

Ronnie Anne glanced up at his laughing face before looking back at his stomach. She finished putting the necessary amount to the affected area, but now...a more devious idea formed in her head. "So, you're ticklish there, are ya?" She grinned.

Lincoln stopped his laughter enough to catch the devious look he was getting from his girlfriend. "Uh...what are you-" He was cut off as Ronalda tackled him to the ground. The boy started howling with laughter as the Hispanic girl tickled his sensitive area. "H-Hey! S-Stop it!" He managed to speak out.

"Not until you admit I'm better at video games than you." Was her reply as she continued her assault.

"N-Never! HAHAHA!"

The two continued to play around on the pavement, Lincoln struggling to get Ronnie Anne off whilst the tomboy kept up her attack. At times, she gave Lincoln's stomach soft pats to tease him before going back to her tickle fest. After a few minutes of struggling, Lincoln finally lost his stamina. "OK OK! You're better at video games!" He blurted out, fighting to catch his breath.

Satisfied, Ronalda got off him. "And don't you forget that, Lame-O." She leaned down and lightly kissed him on the nose. "You know, Polly might've been right."

"About what?" Lincoln asked, sitting up.

"This could've been a fun date."

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed your present for Luckfest today. Not as long as Syn's chapter, but I may have something that's just as long when Worth's anniversary comes up in two weeks. Part of this chapter was inspired by Selfie Improvement, and I was happy with that episode in particular because that's exactly how I pictured Lori and Carol's relationship would've played out. I believe in a previous chapter, I already hinted that Carol didn't understand why Lori was always upset with her, and I believe two would've been friends as kids.**


	20. An AMOO-sing Day

**A/N: As of this chapter, it has been a full year since Worth was published. Now, both it and Syn are a year old, and still unfinished lol. I doubt this chapter will be extra long like Syn's was, but it will have a focal point in this story. If you've been following along, then you will know that today is the day the parents' will show Lincoln how much they love him. There's been several hints at how awkward this affair would be, from Rita questioning her role as a mother to Lynn having an even more harsh reality that he may not even deserve to be a father. Rita might get somewhat of a pass since she and Lincoln had talked two days ago, but with Lynn Sr.? I won't delay any longer, and to clarify something on the last chapter, Lori DID NOT earn Lincoln's forgiveness. It's a start, but not yet. I don't know why some of you thought she did.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Lincoln sat in the Santiagos' living room, fidgeting ever so slightly in anticipation. Since it was Saturday, his parents promised to take him out for a fun time at Dairy Land; the Loud boy was both excited and nervous. He wouldn't pass up a trip to Dairy Land for the life of him, but being with the adults whom he thought would've dispelled this situation easily had brought about the doubts that came with it. It could just be stubbornness on his part, but Lincoln still held some bitterness towards his birth givers. If someone like _Lisa_ could fall for a simple hoax, what was there to say that his parents wouldn't? With how readily they bought the rumor, it secretly shocked Lincoln how it was easy for them to treat him like he was just a random boy they found on the street and had been living with them since. Who knows...maybe that _is_ the case. Did his parents find him as an abandoned baby and take him in? He never did find out why his hair was white.

Lincoln sighed inwardly. Sure, he could be mad at his parents to a degree; but who was the one who helped spread the rumor around? Who was willing to lie to his family over ridiculous circumstances when he probably could've asked for some 'me' time? Lincoln felt as if a giant arrow was pointing at his face right now. Talking with Rita two days ago helped bring the more compassionate side of him back out, and he felt a bit closer to his mother again as she acknowledged the role herself and Lynn Sr. played. The fact Rita outright acknowledged that herself and Lynn deserved prison time still terrified Lincoln. Just a week ago, he seemed so certain to blow the whistle on his parents; but now...his heart was breaking just thinking about it. It was a question he didn't ever want to answer...

Every few minutes, Lincoln took his focus off the TV to glance at the clock. Ronnie Anne and Bobby sat on either side of him, eyes glued to the boob tube. Maria was working a weekend shift at the hospital, but Marcus was working from his home office today. Still having little reason to trust the Louds, Mr. Santiago wanted to make sure Lincoln came back to his house safe and unharmed. So, what better way than to arrange a curfew? Ronnie Anne suggested that she could go with Lincoln; naturally, Marcus refused to put his daughter in harm's way.

Bobby stole a glance at Lincoln out of the corner of his eye, seeing the Loud boy looking at the clock again. "Excited bro?"

Lincoln nodded. "In a way."

"Still wish _I_ could go..." Ronalda huffed, grumbling from her slouched position on the couch.

"You know dad's just looking out for you Ron-Ron."

"I can handle myself, thank you."

Roberto gave an incredulous look. "No offense sis, but against two old adults? I doubt it. Plus, if they kidnap Lincoln, would you want to be part of that?"

Ronalda pursed her lips. "At least we'd be together..." She muttered.

Roberto smirked a little. It seemed Nie Nie and Lincoln got much closer than usual. "Even so, dad said-"

"No daughter of mine is gonna be kidnapped. Cause if you do, I'm gonna have to go to jail since by the end of it, someone is gonna be dead and it won't be me." Marcus preached from the office.

"Yeah, that." Bobby finished.

The sound of a car horn got everyone's attention. Looking through the open curtain, Lincoln and the Santiago children spotted vanzilla parked next to the curb. "Well, there's my ride." Lincoln got up from his seat. "See you guys around 7."

Opening the door, Lincoln spotted his father in the driver seat. The patriarch waved at his son, his mother giving a small wave from the front passenger seat. Not in too big of a rush, Lincoln gave an awkward wave that was paired with a nervous smile. As he walked to the aging van, Marcus stood in the doorway to watch. The Santiago man gave a low glare at the parents, or more specifically, Lynn. The Loud father dared to look at him directly in the eyes, shrinking in his seat like a turtle in its shell. Between the two fathers, Lynn was older and stood a head taller; but he certainly wasn't as muscular as Marcus was. He could just barely make out the muscles that hid under the Hispanic man's white buttoned shirt.

Lincoln climbed into the van, sitting in the first row behind his parents. Lynn took off once he was settled, mainly because he got extremely uncomfortable being under the gaze Marcus was giving him. Even as they drove off, he still felt those brown eyes boring into the back of his skull. The Loud patriarch gave a weary glance at the left rear view mirror just to make sure he still wasn't being given that 1000-yard stare.

"You ok, honey?" Rita asked.

"Y-Yeah. I'll be fine. Mr. Santiago just gives me the creeps..." Lynn shivered. He glanced at the center rear view mirror, seeing his son staring absent-mindedly out the window. "So Lincoln, how have you been?"

"Huh?" Lincoln responded instinctively, having been caught mid day dream. "Oh. I've been doing well."

"Excited for our trip to Dairy Land?"

"Well, _part_ of me is. The other half?..." Lincoln made an 'iffy' motion with his hand.

"Riiight...something on your mind sport?" Lynn asked, even though it was quite obvious.

"Pretty sure there is..." The 11 year old replied with half-interest.

Lynn Sr. didn't respond for a few moments, keeping his eyes focused on the road. He glanced at his wife, who subconsciously jerked her head in Lincoln's direction as a means to get him to continue. After all, there were a couple things the father needed to say on his behalf if there was ever a chance that Lincoln might look up to him again.

"Lincoln...about that day at Lana's gator wrestling match..." Lynn gazed down at the dashboard for a second. "This may not mean much coming from me, but...I'm really sorry about how things turned out back then. None of us expected that gator to get loose, but I'm glad you were saved before things got worse. I don't even want to think about what could've happened if you lost an arm...or a leg..." The patriarch looked at the exit signs on the road, finding the one for Dairy Land being 5 miles away. "I just hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me..."

Lincoln furrowed his brows a little. His dad was apologizing for that day being rather crappy and the fact he was nearly eaten. That sounded fine on paper, but there was something important missing from that apology. Lincoln let his mind wander, recalling a few other incidents that directly involved something around his parents. Most notable were the days he accidentally ruined his mom's novel and the whole anniversary mishap. Beyond that, Lincoln was having issues trying to recall any personal moments he had with his father. He wasn't counting memories where the rest of the family was involved, but just the two of them; and it started to bother him when he kept drawing blanks.

"Dad...when was the last time we hung out together?"

"Well, besides Lana's gator tournament-"

"I mean just the two of us. Not with any of my sisters or even mom." Lincoln clarified, looking at the back of his father's head.

"Hmmm..." Lynn scratched his head. "...Honestly...I think it might've been around the time I was teaching you how to ride a bike."

"But that was _years_ ago..." The boy stated solemnly.

"Well...I would've spent more time with you, but I've been busy with other things like work, constantly fixing up the house (and this darn van), managing the bills and food-"

"And spending time with my sisters..." Lincoln cut him off, an irate look on his face.

Lynn sulked in his seat a bit. "...That too..."

Lincoln folded his arms. "Here's another question I want to ask, dad. Did you know that it was Take Your _Child_ To Work Day when you took my sisters with you to your job?..."

By now, the van was on the exit ramp to the park, which was just a mile down the road. "Wait, it stopped being gender-specific by then?"

"They changed it back in _2003._ That was 3 years before I was even born! And while were on that subject, and this includes you as well mom, but what did you guys do with the coffee mugs I made for your anniversary each year?" Lincoln rapped his fingers against his arm. "I hardly see you guys using them." He already knew the answer to that, but he wanted to see what his parents would say about it.

The two adults in the front seat had pale faces at the mention of those pottery-made mugs. Or were they paperweights? They couldn't tell with how lopsided they looked, especially around the opened portion where the liquid is supposed to sit. The parents tried to formulate some kind of response that wouldn't upset their son, but their constant stuttering made it very clear to Lincoln they were gonna tell some fib to cover their butts.

The boy's patience had worn out by the time the car had finally parked. He gave a frustrated sigh as he undid the seat belt. "Just forget it..." Lincoln opened the door and slammed it shut, stomping his way towards the ticket vendors.

Lynn Sr. watched his son walk away before planting his face on the car's horn in despair, not caring how much of a disturbance it was making. "We just got here, and he's already mad at us _..._ what are we gonna do now?"

"Well, we're here at the park. I doubt Lincoln is in the mood to talk right now, so maybe a couple rides will loosen him up." Spoke an optimistic Rita. The mother gave a frown at the unending beeping the car was producing. "And, Lynn, please get off the horn."

Lynn Sr. lifted his face, ceasing the noise pollution vanzilla created. "Still, he knows what we've done with most of his coffee mugs!" He looked towards his wife. "I mean, we still kept a couple of them, but I didn't think he'd find them in the attic. How did he even know about that?"

"That doesn't matter. What's important is that we show Lincoln how much he means to us," She placed a hand over her husband's, "As his parents."

Lynn Sr. glanced out the windshield. By now, Lincoln was standing near the ticket vendors, arms folded as he stared at the ground in a mixture of anger and disappointment. The patriarch wasn't sure how he could make it up to his son now, but Rita had a point. They got this far, probably even had a shrivel of luck that Lincoln decided to come out here with them. At this point, it'd be a waste to turn around and go home.

Lynn gripped the steering wheel a little harder. "You're right. We can't stop this train now. We have," He checked his watch. "Seven hours to earn Lincoln's love. By the end of this day, Lincoln will (hopefully) look up to us again!"

"That's the spirit." Rita kicked something under her seat.

Lynn raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

The mother gave a warm smile. "Oh, just a backup in case this doesn't work."

After getting out of the car, the parents calmly walked up to the vendor and purchased a family pass. Lincoln still held his forlorn look, but it grew into confusion upon seeing his parents smiling at him.

 _"What are they happy about?"_ Lincoln wondered to himself.

Rita extended her hand, which Lincoln reluctantly accepted before he was led into the fun park. The next few hours were spent with Rita and Lynn Sr. taking Lincoln to rides or activities they were certain he enjoyed (after gathering as much info as they could from the girls who were fond of the place). They went to the bumper cars, the spinning tea cups, a shooting gallery, a water ride, and even a small rollercoaster. They would've went to The Milk Shaker, but the line was too long for their liking.

After each activity, the parents took sneaking glances at their son to make sure he was having a good time. Lincoln was a bit abrasive at first, but he eventually softened up, and not in a good way. He didn't smile at all. The boy went from irritation to a depression that seemed to get worse after each activity. The two adults gave concerned looks at one another. They went through half the list, and Lincoln's mood hardly made an improvement. Silently, they decided to stop for a moment to plan their next move. Spotting a bench, Lynn and Lincoln sat down to rest their feet while Rita looked around, crossing her legs over her area.

"Ok boys, I'm gonna need to find a bathroom real quick. That last water ride made my need to go _even worse_." The matriarch stated before running towards a sign that pointed towards a nearby restroom.

After watching his wife run off, Lynn Sr. brought his attention towards his son. Lincoln had his arms propped up as he rested his head on his open palms. The boy's nostrils flared a little as he breathed in, Lynn hearing what sounded like a sniffle coming from the 11 year old. He even rubbed one of his eyes in a feeble attempt to dispel the tears that were forming.

Lynn didn't have to be a genius to realize that something had been on his son's mind for the past few hours. The lack of communication should've been obvious, but it could've also been Lincoln needing to blow off steam after they tried to lie to him. Since Rita wasn't around, this could be his best (and only) chance to have a real father/son talk.

Lynn scooted himself closer to the boy. "What's wrong son?"

Lincoln gave a small sniffle. "It's...it's nothing..."

"Lincoln, myself and your mother know you've been getting sadder as we went to each ride. It's very odd considering those are rides you _love_ going on, more than once in fact. Not only that, but you're on the verge of crying." Lynn placed a hand around Lincoln's shoulders. "I want to help you Lincoln. I know we made you upset earlier, but I can't help you unless you let me..."

The 11 year old didn't respond for a few moments, only the sound of his steady breathing being heard between them in the otherwise noisy theme park. Lincoln cleared both eyes before finally giving a meek reply. "I'm sorry dad..."

Lynn Sr. raised an eyebrow. "Sorry about what?"

"Everything...I know you and mom are trying really hard to show that you guys still care about me, but all I did was act indifferent or sour about it. I gave my sisters a chance, so why should I deny you guys the same thing?" Lincoln paused, "Yesterday, Lori told me she was jealous of how I've always had someone to help me out while she hadn't. But what she doesn't know is that I'm jealous that my sisters can easily hold you and mom's attention, while I have to try harder. Sometimes, it feels like I'm the odd one in the group; well...more than I've already felt. Even after you and mom's anniversary, I still see some of the gifts they got you guys being used; and mine end up in a box in the attic..."

Pangs of guilt tore through Lynn's heart at the mention of that. "Lincoln-"

"I don't think I would've found out if Lola didn't say something about it. I was upset at you guys for it earlier, especially when you tried to lie to me. But right now?...I don't blame you. Those cups looked pretty tacky anyway, and pottery isn't really my talent (if I even have one...). Plus, I lied to you both about being bad luck just to get out of my sisters activities, and look where that got me..."

Lynn opened his mouth to voice his opinion, but Lincoln wasn't paying attention and continued. "At least I can see why you hang out with some of the girls a lot." Lincoln started counting off his fingers. "Luna has your taste in music and Luan with her jokes, Lynn has sports, and Lori, Leni, and Lola can go to mom for fashion advice; Lucy is good with..." He bit his lip. "I'm not sure on that one honestly. But I know Lana comes to you for handy work tips, and Lisa is smart enough to help you both. But _me_ on the other hand?..." Lincoln glanced at the ground. "All I do is play video games and read comics; something my sisters don't ever do. Probably the only thing we have in common is the fact both of us are guys, and even then, we don't have the same hair color." The 11 year old fiddled with his signature cowlick. "I don't even know why my hair is white..." He put his back against the bench, looking at the sky through the leaves of a tree. "Mom said I shouldn't be blaming myself for all of this...but I still can't help but feel it's largely my fault..."

"Your mother is right you know." Lynn stated quickly before Lincoln could get another word in. The 11 year old glanced up at his father. "You lied, but you're not the one who said " _please step away from the house_ " like you were a total stranger..." Lynn shifted his position a little. "Now Lincoln...if you had problems feeling different, why didn't you say anything about it?"

"...I felt that it probably wouldn't have mattered..." Lincoln blinked his eyes, a stray tear escaping from its duct. "I didn't think I could go to my sisters about it cause they might say "it's a guy thing", or whatever. I probably could've talked with Lucy about it since she has similar issues, but she also has sisters that would easily help her out.. I doubt my sisters would have a good answer about it, or even mom..."

"Then, why didn't you come and talk to me about it?"

Lincoln pursed his lips as he gazed at his father. "No offense dad...but I kinda doubt I'd get good advice from someone who was passed out for much of Halloween last year. So, I just felt it was a problem I'd be stuck with and no one in the family would understand. I guess what I'm saying is...I would've liked to have a brother at one point. Closest thing I got to that is Lana and Lynn, but they're still girls...I wouldn't tell them this directly because I think they might take it as me not wanting any sisters..."

Lynn Sr. rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah...Halloween still creeps me out. But, you could've asked me anyway though. Before you were born, I was literally the only guy in the house. After Lori and Leni were born, I was hoping that maybe we'd get a son soon." The man snorted. "I guess you can call it every father's dream to raise a boy of their own. Luna and Luan came and, to be honest, I was happy, yet disappointed at the same time. Then when Lynn was coming along, the doctor said it looked to be a boy, so I named her after me." His shoulders sagged a bit. "Unfortunately, said doctor misidentified Junior and it turned out she was a girl. Even though I was a bit upset by that, I still gave her my name. Then, almost 2 years later, you were on the way."

"I'm guessing that made you excited?"

"Your father was practically dancing around the office when the doctor identified your gender sweetie." Rita stated with amusement as she approached.

"I had a good reason to." Lynn folded his arms. "I was afraid I'd be stuck raising only girls."

"Well, in terms of betting on the gene pool, you always fell a little short." The blonde giggled.

Lynn didn't look as amused. "Anyway," He looked back at the 11 year old. "I would've been free to help you Lincoln. I know what it's like to live in a house full of girls."

"And your sisters may not have understood, but they would still try to help you. It's been known that people of the same genders tend to gravitate towards one another due to similar interests." Both males looked at Rita in confusion. "I took a few classes in psychology during college." The matriarch shrugged.

Lincoln felt a bit foolish for not realizing he had help in front of him the whole time. Recalling how Lori once said that the family supports each other, he originally thought that only meant when it came to attending their activities. Guess he had been so blinded by his own self-loathing to realize the full meaning of that sentence.

"So Lincoln, I know you must be feeling dumb for not realizing that, but the biggest fool in the family is sitting right next to you." Lynn pointed at himself. "I was excited to finally have a son, but never took full advantage of it. Even more so, I made you feel like I never wanted a son to begin with..." The father clasped his hands together. "I know we don't hang out much, but that doesn't mean I love you less than the girls. I try to love all of my kids equally," He rubbed the back of his head, smiling nervously. "Even if I don't have a good track record of showing it."

He put an arm around Lincoln. "Like your mother, I've had my priorities messed up after believing this whole 'luck' craziness. I treated you like you were less important than that stupid suit when it should've been the other way around. Heck, I still hate myself for not paying attention to the fact you were nearly _killed_ and I didn't check to see how you were..." Lincoln couldn't lie. He still held some contempt for that incident. "Not to mention we just sat there while you and Junior fought each other..." Lynn gave a heavy sigh. "You probably think I'm the worst dad ever, but know this Lincoln: you are my son, and I will always love you. I don't want you to think that you're an outcast in our family, or doubt your surname. You're a Loud to your very core, no matter how different you are from your sisters. After all, your birth was probably the most exciting out of our entire family."

Lincoln raised an eyebrow. "What happened when I was born?"

Rita and Lynn looked around for any prying eyes. "It's something that we were sworn into secrecy about..." Rita whispered.

Lincoln's pupils shrank. "Wait, was I part of a lab experiment?! Is that why I have white hair?" He rubbed his follicles.

The parents couldn't help but laugh at Lincoln letting his imagination run wild. "No offense sport, but that's not even close."

"Also, your hair really does come from Pop Pop. He was born with poliosis, which means his hair doesn't have any color so it appears white. I (surprisingly) didn't get it when I was born, but I still carried the gene for it. I suppose it didn't appear for the girls until I had you." Rita scratched her head. "Genetics are weird like that."

"Like how Lucy looks like my grandmother, hair and skin." Lynn Sr. added.

"Well, I guess that does explain the hair. But there's one thing I don't understand...why did you guys nearly lie to me about the coffee mugs I made?"

"Well...you were already upset, so we didn't know how to tell you without making you angry at us. And, we're sorry for that..." Lynn crossed his legs. "I know you said pottery wasn't your best trait, but at least you tried sport. Also, we did try using them, but they can barely hold anything in them..."

Lincoln gave a low sigh, sulking a little. "I figured as much..."

"Buuut, we knew you worked hard on them and felt bad if we didn't make some use of them. So, after the first time you made us those mugs, we went and had them redone." Rita dug into her purse, taking out two burgundy colored clay mugs. Unlike the ones Lincoln crafted, the inside was perfectly circular along with the handle being reshaped into a curved design. On the outside of each mug, there was a little inscription that said, "From the World's Best Son", carved into the face.

"Huh. Didn't think you went back to the van." The patriarch noted.

Lincoln stared at the two cups with his mouth hanging open and widened eyes. "H-How did you guys-?"

"We asked a local pottery maker to see if he could shape them up a bit. He said they looked like you hadn't let the clay harden all the way, which was why it appeared 'melted' in his words." Lynn explained. He grabbed one of the mugs. "I still drink from this one whenever I'm at work."

"Same here. Though sometimes I use mine as a pencil holder." Rita smiled.

Lincoln hummed a little in thought. He then slapped his forehead in frustration. "Duh! I was in a rush cause I always forget when your anniversary arrives." He folded his arms as he glared at the ground. "And no one bothered to remind me the last few times..." He raised an eyebrow, looking back at his parents. "But what about the rest?"

Both parents furrowed their brows in disgust. "That pottery guy was a cheapskate, _and_ he was the best one in town. We figured it would've been best to put the rest in the attic than waste time with that jerk...sorry you had to find out that way dear." Rita told him.

Lincoln shifted his gaze away from the two for a few seconds, before doing something both adults hadn't expected. For the first time that day, Lincoln managed to give off a warm smile. He felt a lot better now that he knew the full story behind the clay mugs, and more importantly, he felt the one thing he deeply missed for over a week: love from his parents. The day started with uncertainty and doubts that his parents would be able to sway his opinion, but so far, they managed to pull that off and reassure Lincoln that he still had a place in their hearts.

"Well, at least I know a few got put to use. But, there's one other thing I gotta say."

"What is it sport?" Lynn Sr. asked.

"I know you guys may not be the best parents in the world, and some people might question your habits...but I don't think I could've asked for a better mom and dad." Lincoln's eyes began to water. "I used to think otherwise, but I don't anymore. I guess I finally realized that, even after everything that's happened...I still loved you guys and it hurt me to think that you didn't. It's the main reason why I couldn't bring myself to call the police. And now...I realized that, you guys do care..." Lincoln rubbed his nose as he sniffled. "You r-really do care..."

At this point, the boy started crying again. They weren't tears of sadness, but that of joy. Lincoln hugged his father, to which the patriarch returned his affection. Rita sat down next to Lincoln, ruffling her son's hair; all 3 Louds basked in the glow of feeling like a family again. "Say, how about we all get ice cream to celebrate?" Lynn suggested, to which the other Louds nodded in approval.

* * *

Not long after getting their frozen dairy treats, the family decided to go check on the line for The Milk Shaker. It had gotten significantly shorter, so it was only a fifteen minute wait instead of the thirty-five wait it had been almost an hour ago. By this point in time, all riders were given protective facial masks due to a lawsuit once filed against the park for how unsanitary and dangerous it was for the roller coaster to be specifically designed to encourage getting hit in the face by another person's puke. Even one child was known to have gotten sick due to this. There was much debate about these new measures among attendees. In the end, it was either listen to the state government, or have the entire park shut down. The masks did indeed protect the face from flying vomit, but the same couldn't be said for the top of the head or clothing.

Lincoln wasn't sure whether he liked being forced to wear a facial mask meant for just one roller coaster, but at least he didn't get vomit in his mouth like last time. He still enjoyed the thrill of the twists, turns, and loops the ride had to offer. Unfortunately, both himself and Lynn Sr. would have to wash off afterwards due to getting their clothes stained from someone in the front seats not holding down their lunch. Rita didn't fare any better, having gotten some puke in her hair.

The 11 year old took off the face mask. "That was AWESOME! Let's do it again!"

"Count me out..." Rita grumbled, walking off to the nearest restroom. Some flies started to gather around her head, which the matriarch irritably swatted away.

Lynn took off his mask. "I'd go a second time sport, but this vomit won't wash itself off. Plus, we smell like dead fish."

Lincoln looked down at his shirt. He grimaced a little when the stench finally reached his nostrils. A shiver went down his spine as he fought the urge to vomit himself. "Yeah...maybe we should've brought spare clothes too.."

Following Rita, they went into the men's room and started scrubbing away at the stains. Lincoln had an easier time than his father, who was growing frustrated that he couldn't seem to get his green sweater cleaned off. Once he was finished, the 11 year old stepped out of the restroom, drying his arms off. Spotting a trash can nearby, he dumped the used paper towels into the waste bin. Looking back, it seemed his parents weren't finished taking care of their business, so Lincoln found another bench to sit on. Reflecting on the last hour, Lincoln smiled at how he and his parents managed to reconnect. Even Lynn Sr. promised to bring him to his job the next time Take Your Child to Work Day came up. They still needed to find some father/son activity they both enjoyed though. However, what Lincoln didn't know, is that his parent's love for him was about to be tested.

Not too far away and walking down the bricked path towards the Loud boy, two teenaged boys were laughing to themselves as they snacked on some cotton candy. They were similar in build and girth, with the only differences between them being that one was tan skinned with black hair that covered his eyes; the other teen was white with a mullet growing down the back of his head. To anyone concerned, these two were known as Hank and Hawk, possibly the biggest bullies anyone would come to hate. Known for their brutish nature, the candy they were eating was likely pillaged from some poor child that was only half their size.

"Did you see the way how I hung that kid by his undies bro?" Hawk spoke, munching loudly on his 'earned' treat.

Hank chuckled. "Yeah. He was crying like the little baby he was. Should've known better than to be flailing candy around in front of us."

"You know what would make these better bro?"

"Milk chocolate?"

"Milk chocolate."

Hank looked to their front, spotting a certain white-haired child sitting on a bench. "Hey bro, isn't that the white haired brat that tricked us into going into that maze last Halloween?"

Hawk looked ahead and noticed Lincoln as well. "Hey, yeah it is!" The obese teen noted the lack of any of the boy's sisters. "Guess he's alone today."

" _And_ it's not Halloween, so no..." Hawk gave a low burp. "Blood this time."

The mullet-haired teen grimaced. "Dude, don't remind me. I'm gonna hurl just thinking about it."

"If you start puking, _I'm_ gonna puke!"

"Just shut up about it and let's go have a 'friendly' talk." Hawk quoted with his fingers.

The boys grinned maliciously as they walked towards Lincoln, who hadn't noticed them yet. Lincoln stared at the bathroom entrances as he waited for his parents to return, only taking notice of his surroundings when he heard a set of feet approaching. Looking to his left, Lincoln's eyes became the size of snack plates; sweat trailed down the side of his head as fear took him over. He knew Hank and Hawk to the point you could say he had a history with them. They contributed to Lynn's ankle injury during football season, and last Halloween, they trashed the whole street and stole everyone's candy. Never mind the fact they turned himself and Clyde into human pretzels after they tried getting the stolen candy back. Judging from the looks on their faces, Lincoln figured they must've been quite angry about getting scared shitless last year.

"What's up Lame-O?" Hank asked once the boys stood in front of their prey.

"Um, n-nothing? I was just-" Lincoln started as he stood up.

"Going nowhere." Hawk shoved the boy back into his seat.

"Look, if this is about the whole Halloween trick-" Lincoln started, holding his hands up in defense.

"Don't try talkin' out of this one, nerd. You think you're so clever with those fancy tricks your sisters did, don't you?" Hawk asked.

"I think a better question is, why is his hair so white?" Hank chuckled, picking at Lincoln's cowlick. "Are we even sure he's not an old man?"

"Why don't we just give it some color?" Hawk stated, looking at his half-eaten treat. He took the cone and slammed it on Lincoln's head, making it a mess of pink and white hair.

Hank chuckled. "You made a unicorn bro."

Lincoln's cheeks became flushed with red as the teens laughed at him. Gritting his teeth, he took the cone off his head and threw it to the ground. "Can't you guys just leave me alone?!"

The tan-skinned boy laughed harder. "Or what? You'll blow up on us?"

"Yeah. You might've whooped five other kids, but what makes you think you can take _us_ on?" Hawk added.

Lincoln bit his lip. "You guys saw that video too?..."

"Uh, duh! Pretty sure _everyone_ did. But anyways," Hank grabbed Lincoln by the collar of his shirt, hoisting him up from his seat with little difficulty. Instinctively, the 11 year old tried to pry his shirt loose, but to no avail. His feet swung around in the air as they tried to reconnect with solid ground. "Do you think you can save yourself from _this_ beating?"

"With noodle arms like that? Doubt it." Hawk taunted, poking one of Lincoln's arms.

Lincoln gave an audible gulp in response. It wasn't even a contest on who could win. Both of these obese teens were far stronger than Lincoln would ever hope to be. Even if he happened to go into a rage fit, all that'd do was stall the inevitable stomping he'd be subjected to. Seeing Hank raising his other fist, Lincoln let out a small whimper and closed his eyes. _"So much for a fun day..."_ Lincoln told himself as he put his hands in front of his face to shield himself from the inevitable blow. However, that hit never came.

Right as Hank was about to smash his meaty fist into Lincoln's face, an older, feminine hand grabbed his wrist. Twisting his head around, he stared at the face of an enraged mother.

"Put. My. Son. Down!" Rita spoke venomously, her tone rising with each word. Her hair was still wet as it appeared she rushed out of the bathroom. Hank didn't respond due to the sudden intervention, prompting Rita to take his arm and twist it behind his back.

The teen cried in pain, releasing his grip on the 11 year old; Lincoln fell back onto the bench in a heap. Hawk was stunned as he watched Hank getting subdued, a sense of dread creeping up on him. They expected Lincoln might've been around with his sisters, not his _parents_. There was one, specific rule every bully knew: when parents get involved, your ass is grass. Not wanting to get caught, the mullet-haired teen was about to sneak away when someone firmly gripped his shoulder.

"And where do you think _you're_ going?..." Lynn Sr. asked, giving a heated glare at the teen. His sweater had a few stains on it.

By now, Rita had Hank on his knees; the teen tapping the ground for mercy. The matriarch finally released him before attending to her son. "Are you ok Honey?" Rita asked softly, picking a piece of cotton candy out of Lincoln's hair.

The boy nodded. "Y-Yeah. I'm ok..."

With Rita busy, Lynn Sr. dealt with the two bullies. Hawk backed up until he was next to Hank, who was massaging his sore limb. Glancing back at his son, Lynn fixated his glare at the two boys. His hands were clenched hard into fists and shook as if he was ready to beat some sense into them. Hank and Hawk shrank under him like dogs, who realized they angered their master. "If I ever see you two near my son again, so help me, I will tie you to chairs and feed you the worst dish you've ever tasted! Do I make myself clear?" The bullies nodded furiously. "Now beat it!" Lynn pointed in the opposite direction. The twins didn't need to be told twice as they hightailed it out of there; Hawk tripped over his own feet when he dared to look back at the father, while Hawk panted and wheezed whilst carrying his bad arm.

Lynn watched until they were no longer in sight before turning back to his family. By then, Rita had finished picking all the cotton candy out of Lincoln's hair, but the pink stains remained. Rita sucked in air through her teeth. "Darn it. Looks like you'll have to wash your hair when you get home..."

"You ok Lincoln?"

The 11 year old nodded. "T-Thanks guys. Sorry about all of that..."

"Lincoln, you shouldn't be apologizing for that. We're the ones who left you out here by yourself." Lynn corrected him. Lincoln looked at the ground with his hands clasped together. No doubt that encounter with the bullies damaged his confidence. The father looked around at the attractions, and not wanting this day to end on a sour note..."Hey, what's say we go ride the spinning tea cups again?" Lynn asked, messing with his son's hair.

Lincoln smiled a little, getting up from his seat. He was about to start walking when Lynn Sr. suddenly scooped him up and sat him on his shoulders. Lincoln couldn't help but laugh at this. It's been a long time since he was last given a piggyback ride, usually doing one for his younger sisters. Guess he wasn't too old for his dad to give him one. As the Louds went towards where the rotation-based ride was located, one thing was certain in Lincoln's mind: he still had the love and affection of his parents, and they sure as hell weren't about to let it slip through their grasp again.

 **A/N: Well, it looks like Lincoln has taken another step closer to moving back home. I guess it wasn't as much of an awkward meeting as it was of a half-angst situation going on. This chapter also showed that Lincoln still had issues with being the only boy in the family, and it would've been to the parents to let him know that, even if he feels lonely in the sense of not having a brother, he still has his entire family behind him. After all, Lynn Sr. had this issue years before Lincoln finally came out. I still need to do something with Chandler and Conner, cause now it feels like I'm not making much use of the B-plot for this fic. And don't worry, even guys like Hank and Hawk will come up again.**


	21. New Perspective

**A/N: With the Louds improving their relationships as each day passes, it's time to focus on the other side that's been in the dark for a while. Chandler still has something up his sleeve, but I haven't found the right moment to shed some light on that subplot; until now that is. So, let's see what this guy's been up to lately.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Walking down main street through town, Chandler sipped on a soda as he passed by several shops. Occasionally, a few people would give him some weary glances or mean looks; all of which he learned to ignore by now. It's only been a week since that video went out, and while it looked like it was becoming yesterday's news, it wasn't gonna die down any time soon for some. The only piece of good news is that during the past week, he finally got some corrective braces and false teeth to replace those Lincoln knocked out. Along with that, his jaw was no longer heavily restricted in movement, but he couldn't open his mouth too wide or he'd risk causing further pain to himself.

As for his life at home, it was...decent (marginally). Both Chandler's parents felt getting his butt kicked was punishing enough, but he still had a curfew to attend to as well as a strict rule to not get into any fights. Sure, he could handle that. After all, it wasn't _he_ who would be doing the fighting. Stopping at a corner, the redhead caught a familiar and curious sight. Standing just outside an ice cream parlor, Conner and Cristina were enjoying their frozen treats. Oddly enough, Conner's hair was still silver, or whitish. Chandler couldn't tell from the sunlight, but it didn't matter much. Whipping out his phone, he snapped a picture of the two.

Sliding into his phone's image gallery, he looked over some of the other pictures he had taken of the pair. It's only been a few days, but it seemed that Conner and Cristina were enjoying each other's company faster than one would've thought. The fact these two were apparently getting ice cream together could convince others that they might be dating. Chandler took another sip of his soda, scanning the detail of each photo to make sure it looked convincing enough. The redhead frowned a little, not too satisfied with the results. In some screenshots, Conner looked close enough to where one could easily mistake him for Lincoln; others would require a little editing. Good thing he was taking a computer graphics class.

Still, it was a little odd how Conner so suddenly changed his hair color and didn't seem to be in a panic. Chandler was sure that the other kid would've went back to his usual blonde due come the weekend, yet here he is with that same bland color. Either Conner was planning something, or he stopped caring about his hair; Chandler was gonna find out regardless.

"So the moment Cassy tries to open the container, blue paint explodes everywhere! Of course, she knew I was the one who did it and she strangled me for ruining her clothes, but it was so worth it." Conner stated in fits of laughter.

Cristina snorted a little. "All that for a small stack of ribs?"

"I called dibs on those ribs fair and square. That'll teach her to try to filch my food."

"Did your throat hurt when she was choking you?"

Conner hummed in thought, giving a small shrug almost immediately. "Not really. I was busting a gut so hard I didn't notice." He glanced at his reflection in the mirror. "I'm not sure if this hair is really my thing...only reason I didn't wash it out yet is because my sister hasn't gotten the shampoo for it."

Cristina glanced at the top of his head, taking another lick of her ice cream. "I think it looks cute."

The platinum-haired kid knitted his brows. "This isn't because I look like some stupid Disney character, is it?..." His disdain was quite clear.

"No no no." Cristina said defensively. "You kinda remind me of one of those anime characters on this show I watch. I honestly think you could pull it off."

Conner opened his mouth to form a rebuttal, but nothing came. Other students still related him to a character from Frozen, but Cristina was the first person who actually _liked_ his hair. His gaze shifted to the ground, wondering what the heck this girl saw in his accidental dye job. Cristina's phone buzzed as a text came in. She flipped it open and did a quick read of it.

"Sorry Conner, but I gotta go. Mom needs me to watch the cat."

"Cat? Aren't cats usually fine by themselves?"

"Not the one I have." The redhead stepped up and hugged him. "See ya tomorrow Conner." Cristina smiled before running down the street.

Conner blinked twice as he absorbed what happened. Not only had Cristina hugged him, she technically called him cute. Even if it was about his hair, it was still a win in Conner's opinion. The Pingrey child smiled warmly as he stared off in the direction she ran, glancing at himself in the window. "I guess it doesn't look _that_ bad."

"You're seriously planning on keeping your hair like that?" A new voice cut in.

Turning around, Conner laid his eyes on Chandler. The former blonde gave a frown. _"Well, there goes my good feelings..."_ He sighed inwardly. "What do you want Chandler?"

"Nothing. Just wondering why you look like you bleached your hair." The redhead shrugged.

"It was an accident."

"That, or you were trying to impress Cristina by looking like 'Pineapple Boy'."

"No." Conner glared. "S-She just liked it is all!"

" _Sure_ she did." Chandler snorted. " You both would make a good pair." He gave his trademark look.

Conner squinted his eyes at the other boy. He knew that look all too well; it was the same one Chandler gave him when he was thinking up this whole revenge scheme. "What are you planning?..."

"Nothin, nothin. Just keep wooing Cristina." Chandler turned around. "See you around Conner."

The former blonde raised an eyebrow at this. As the redhead walked around the corner, Conner pondered over his words. " _Keep wooing Cristina?_ It's not like I'm trying to get her to be my girlfriend. I mean, sure she looks cute, her hair looks nice, her blouse isn't as out of date as I originally thought..." He paused. A hearty smile appeared on Conner's face as he started thinking about Cristina with a half-lidded stare. "And her laugh is just music to my ears...and her eyes..." Realizing what he said, Conner's cheeks heated up in embarrassment. "Oh man, I actually like her..."

A sense of guilt became instilled with Conner. He was already feeling iffy about taking part in Chandler's little scheme; only the prospect of getting a nice amount of dosh kept him reeled in. However, the Pingrey child was quickly realizing that money would mean very little in the grand picture. The idea of Cristina being used as a tool for that boy's plot just didn't sit well in his chest. Conner wasn't sure what it was; it could've been that he liked Cristina to the point he didn't wish for anything bad to befall her. In return, this fueled his desire to figure out what exactly it was that Chandler wanted to do that involved them both. Jogging to the corner, he didn't see the redhead in sight. For that matter, he didn't even know where the guy lived, so it wasn't like Conner could just waltz over to Chandler's place.

Conner gave a frustrated groan. "Great...now I gotta wait til tomorrow..."

* * *

Sometime later that Sunday, in the evening hours, most of the Louds were preparing for bed. Both parents were still on an emotional high after having a fun day out with Lincoln, and Lori was happy that she and Carol managed to find some clothes Lori was certain Lincoln would like. Compared to whatever her sisters had made, it probably didn't seem like much. However, the eldest sibling faintly remembered some time ago that Lincoln had been eyeballing a couple outfits during one of their trips to the mall. Naturally, he was short on cash to even consider buying it; yet it was still on the forefront of his mind, especially during his (often loud) talks with Clyde over the radio.

Lynn was doing better as her sisters made sure to keep her energized and to try not to think too much on her faults. Whenever the jock started to falter, one of the sisters would prod her ego to bring her spirit back. Granted, Lynn's ego wasn't as big as it used to be; but even in her depressed state, a part of her hated having her tenacity questioned. On the physical side, her heel was only mildly sore with some scarring. After taking some careful measurements and movement tests, Lisa declared that Lynn could now walk without the assistance of her crutches. Unfortunately, the jock was still unable to sprint since she had a slight limp to her walk.

Currently, Lynn was about to let the Sand Man claim her. She was already under the covers and was just about to doze off to dreamland. However, her room mate was still wide awake, sitting at her table writing up something in her book. The goth was constantly muttering as she reread what was written. Unfortunately, the Louds don't exactly have much of an indoor voice, even when whispering.

Lynn's eyes fluttered open as sleep escaped her for the third time in the past half hour. Knitting her brows, she rolled on her bed so she was facing the goth. "Lucy..."

Lucy continued her muttering, only stopping when she realized someone called her. "Hmm?" She glanced over her shoulder at Lynn.

"Shouldn't you be going to bed? We have school tomorrow..."

"Not yet." Lucy focused back on her book. "I'm almost finished with this."

"You've been writing on it _all day._ I'm surprised you're hand hasn't gotten carpel tunnel."

"When you work your bones enough, they get used to it." The goth gave a side glance at Lynn. "Much like how you keep bouncing back after you injure yourself. You always said 'no pain, no gain'."

Lynn lifted the cover to look at her foot. The ankle brace was gone, though small teeth marks were visible just above the base of her heel. "Sometimes I'd wish I'd eat my own words..." She lied down, staring at the ceiling. "If I had a time machine, I'd probably even go back and never pick up baseball...or sports in general..."

Lucy placed her quill down. "Sigh. Lynn, I know we can't stop you from wanting to hide in the darkness (and it'd be really hypocritical of me to tell you not to), but every once in a while I do need to see the light." The eight year old wheeled her chair around. "Lincoln hasn't forgiven me yet, but hopefully I can talk with him at school tomorrow."

"That's easier for you to say, since the worst thing you did was make it seem like him getting blamed for bombing the toilet meant little to you."

"At least Lori managed to get Lincoln to at least think about talking with you. And since he's likely in better spirits than he was the last time you both met, I doubt he's gonna hurt you."

Lynn stayed silent for a moment, turning to face the wall. "You don't know that..."

Lucy tapped her chin, glancing up at the ceiling. The very last thing Lynn needed was another nightmare that would wipe out all the progress the girls made. The goth had half the mind to inject Lynn with Lisa's sleeping serum, but at this point, everyone was reluctant at having to drug their sister again. Which means...

"I never thought you were a chicken Lynn."

"...What?" Came Lynn's tired voice.

"I said, I never thought you were a chicken. Or maybe you're a turtle."

Lynn breathed in heavily through her nostrils. "Who says I am?..."

"Most of us." Lucy spoke with a hint of smug in her usual grim tone. "You hide in your shell because you're afraid of the challenge to actually talk with Lincoln. We know you're nervous around him, but I guess you really lost your spine. It's funny though." Lucy saw Lynn sitting up. "I usually hide in the dark to escape the light, while you hide in your bed to wallow in the fact you've let yourself become weak. Guess that means Lori is the strongest sister now."

Lynn narrowed her eyes at her roommate. "Say that...again..."

The eight year old had to suppress the urge to grin. "You. Are. Weak." She crossed her legs. "Want me to just get it over with and give you your sleeping medication, like the baby you-" Lucy was cut off as a pillow smacked her in the face.

"You think I'm a baby huh? Well I'll show you! In fact, I'm gonna march right up to Lincoln tomorrow so we can hug it out!"

Lucy moved the soft object from her eyes just in time to see Lynn stick her tongue out at her like a child. "Real mature sis. Bet you can't do that again."

Lynn gripped her other pillow. "Is that a threat?"

Lucy put up a finger as she set her quill back in its ink pot and closed her book. Within a flash, Lucy threw Lynn's pillow back at her, causing the jock to jump out of bed with both in hand. "Oh, it's on." Before long, the two girls were hitting each other with their bed pillows. Lucy usually took the chance to avoid partaking in a pillow fight, as she found them pointless. But if it meant keeping Lynn from being a negative nancy, then it was worth it. Lynn eventually started to get a little too into the activity, using her pillows as boxing gloves. Lucy was forced to block more than swing. Feathers and stuffing flew out of the pillows as they were demolished, the two girls sharing a laugh once they realized they went overboard.

"You did that so I'd stop thinking about the bad stuff huh?" Lynn spoke up between giggles.

"It worked, didn't it?" Lucy replied, giving a small sneeze when a feather got on her nose.

"It did..." The older girl looked at the floor. "Though now we need new pillows to sleep with."

"I don't really need a pillow." Lucy turned and went to her coffin, opening it and lying down inside. "The dead don't sleep like the living." That was all she said before closing the casket.

"Says the girl whose casket is on a bed that looks almost like Lola's." Lynn muttered, going to her closet.

"I heard that." Came Lucy's muffled voice.

Opening the door, Lynn dug through her stuff to find something soft enough to lay her head on. Bats, footballs, shoes, and even the occasional dirty clothes weren't the most ideal temporary pillows. Spotting one of her jerseys, Lynn lifted it to examine it's worth. It was covered in dirt and grass stains from overuse, and the athlete remembered the main reason she refused to wash it; she considered it 'lucky'. That was the same excuse she used for her other sporting equipment that was beaten up, dirty, broken, or just well past their 'use by' date. At this point, Lynn just referred to it as 'stuff that needed to be heavily washed or thrown out'. She bent down and scooped up all of her dirty sportswear before heading for the washroom.

Since it was so late at night, Lynn couldn't wash them without keeping the others awake; she made a note to do it in the morning, along with whatever sports stuff she considered to be 'luck'. In the basement, Lynn sorted the spare sheets and blankets before finding another pillow to use. That trip to the basement also revealed another unknown issue with her damaged heel: climbing stairs caused a small amount of pain if she used that foot to climb up. Regardless, she did her best to ignore it and went back to her and Lucy's room, falling asleep after a few minutes of thoughtless staring.

* * *

Conner tapped his foot as he waited with a few others in the hallway, his arms crossed as he scanned the hallway for a certain redhead. Students blistered past the group as they stood outside their homeroom. The teacher was late again; probably not caring much about his job since Huggins once berated him in front of the students about his attendance. Even though it was the beginning of another school week, the pangs of Monday were absent from the Pingrey kid. He was unable to take his mind off yesterday, and even throughout last night, he seemed to be pretty distracted. Carol asked him if anything was wrong, even apologizing about forgetting to get a certain shampoo to change his hair back; Conner just ignored that and said he was alright.

Chandler wasn't in any of Conner's classes today, but he often saw him in the hallway. The former blonde continued to look around, failing to spot the smug rich kid among the sea of people. Before last week, Chandler typically had a group of boys with him so they would stand out even in the thickest crowds. At this point, given what happened that one weekend, all you had to do to find him was focus on the trail of glares. However, none of the students appeared to be glancing in a particular direction.

Cristina had finally made her way through the crowd, spotting the group of students in front of their door. "Ugh," She groaned, slumping her shoulders, "He's late again?..." Shaking her head, Cristina got in line behind the last person.

Shortly after scanning her class to see who else was there, her eyes fell upon a certain shade of silver. Smiling, she got out of line and walked up to the boy. "Hey Conner."

He didn't respond, staring off into space.

"Conner?" Cristina asked, poking him in the shoulder.

"Huh?" The Pingrey child turned left. "Oh. H-Hey." He gave an awkward wave.

"You ok? You seem distracted."

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Cristina put a hand on her hip, giving a half-lidded, unamused stare. "Really? Cause I swore you were staring at the wall."

Conner gave a cheesy smile.

"So what's going on?"

The former blonde breathed through his nose. "Just thinking about something..."

"What is it?"

Conner bit his lip, humming in thought. He didn't want to let Cristina know what was _really_ going on, considering the circumstances. Imagine how pissed she'd be if he just blabbed that he made a deal with Chandler for some cash? Still...he couldn't just outright lie to her. Unlike his sister, Conner felt he'd have a hard time refusing anything Cristina asked of him. After he realized his feelings for her yesterday, it felt like he'd betray her trust if he wasn't honest. Plus, he had no story to fall back on at the moment.

"Well..." Conner trailed off, "It's...it's about someone..."

"Oh. Is it a family member?"

The boy shook his head.

"Is it a friend?"

Conner hummed before nodding, putting his hands in his pockets. "Y-Yeah..."

Cristina tapped her chin. She knew she was close. "Is it someone in this school, in our class?"

Conner felt his face heat up, his cheeks becoming a faint red. Cristina took that as a sign that she was getting warmer. "Oh, so it is." She spoke in a teasing tone. "So who is she? I gotta know the details!"

Conner released a breath he didn't know he was holding. So close, but not close enough. He scratched his head in a faint attempt to shave off some of the nervousness he felt. "Y-You know her, but-"

A series of fast footsteps cut him off. The students turned and saw their teacher practically running up to them. "Sorry I'm late kids, traffic was a pain this morning. Don't need Huggins chewing my head off again..." The middle-aged man grumbled as he unlocked the door.

With the students started to file into the room, "I'll tell you later." Conner told the redhead as they went in.

No more than a few steps away, Chandler had been taking a few more pictures. Seeing Conner blushing and Cristina acting all giddy would make things look even more convincing. "And that's a few more for the wall." He smiled deviously, going towards his own class. Good thing said class just happened to be the one place he needed to do his work.

* * *

Just a few hours later, another person was dealing with their own troubles. Lynn proclaimed that she'd march up to her brother and give him the biggest hug imaginable; yet here she was, watching him from outside during her P.E. class. Lynn used a tree as an obstacle in case Lincoln happened to look outside. Normally, the jock absolutely loved this class. Because she was well adapted to the sports world, Coach Pacowski often let her lead during drills (to the other students dismay). But since she was still dealing with an ailing injury, the brunette had been excused since then. Lynn didn't mind though, as she was originally too depressed to do anything.

By now, Lynn was no longer depressed, just worried. Memories of her last encounter with her brother popped up throughout the morning. She could never forget that look he gave her for a split second before becoming indifferent; the hate he still harbored for her buried deep inside. That was almost a week ago however, and since then, Lincoln regained the trust of all but 4 of his family members. Even more so, Lynn was more than capable of holding her own now; unlike their last meeting, where she would've been completely at his mercy. Still, a raging Lincoln was the last thing Lynn wanted to deal with, especially since she doubted she'd fight back this time.

"Hey Lynn." A chilling voice spoke out from behind.

Lynn sucked in a breath; the brunette's knuckles turned white as she gripped the sides of the tree, fighting the urge to climb it. Swiftly turning her head, Lucy was staring at her with her notebook in her hands. A bookmark was sticking out, pointing to a specific page. The teen dispelled her breath. "Y-You really should stop doing that..."

"Sorry, but what are you doing over here?"

"I should be asking you that." Lynn loosened her grip, shaking off any wooden flakes that stuck to her skin. "Don't you have class or something?"

"It's my study period, and I know Lincoln has recess around noon every Monday. Did you talk to him yet?"

Lynn looked at the ground in shame, unable to say anything knowing she was eating her words.

Lucy looked past Lynn as the bell rang. The previous class was going inside, while those in the lunch room were coming out. Among the crowd, she spotted Lincoln with his social circle. "Sigh." Lucy looked back at Lynn. "I don't want to have to do this, but we have no choice." She grabbed Lynn's hand. "Come on."

"W-Wait, where are we going?" Lynn asked nervously as her sister dragged her from her hiding spot.

"To Lincoln, where else?" Lucy spoke with determination.

"Lincoln?!" The teen's pupils shrank a bit. She dug her feet into the ground, kicking up some dirt and grass as she started to yank her hand out of Lucy's grip. "Wait wait wait!" She yanked hard enough to make the goth turn around. "I don't think I can do this..."

"I know, that's why we _have to_ Lynn. You aren't strong enough to face him on your own, I understand that. But if you don't do this now, you might not ever get the chance to." Lucy tucked her book under her arm before putting her other hand on Lynn's. "I know this is hard for you sis, but we're doing this together. I run the risk of Lincoln saying terrible things to me like he did the last time we spoke, and he has yet to forgive me. I doubt he'll do anything to harm me physically, but hopefully I can stop him from trying to hurt you. So please...let us bear this storm together."

Lynn gazed at Lucy for a second before focusing on Lincoln, who by now was playing tetherball with Liam while the rest waited for their turn. Lucy was there for her when she was swallowed up in her guilt, doing everything she could to get her back to her old self; or at least make her happy. It only made sense that she'd return the favor.

Being the thankful older sister she was, Lynn gripped Lucy's hands firmly. "We will."

With their confidence returning, the two Louds walked towards their brother. By now, Lincoln and Liam had finished, leaving Rusty to challenge Ronnie Anne.

"So, correct me if I'm wrong. The reason you didn't tell us you had a family dispute was because it was embarrassing to talk about?" Liam asked.

"Yeah..." Lincoln rubbed his arm. "Sorry about not telling you guys. I just thought that you might spill it to everyone else." Given how good things have been lately, and still feeling some weight was lifted from his chest after spending time with his real parents, Lincoln felt bad about some of the things he said when he was in a sour mood. He decided to let his other friends in on what's been happening to him lately. He didn't give all of the details, but just enough so they wouldn't ask too many questions.

Along with his friends, the guilt hardened in Lincoln's stomach as he easily remembered the not-so-kind words he said to a certain younger sister of his. The feeling had been there since Lincoln started to love his family again, and it robbed him of sleep a few times. Given how Lucy was practically in tears when he last spoke to her, Lincoln didn't doubt that she probably cried to herself after he left her alone. Just thinking about it made him feel like an asshole...

The middle child had thoughts of seeking her out to apologize, but that would be next to impossible. When Lucy wants to hide, good luck finding her. Lincoln could only hope that she would come to him eventually.

"Ahh shoot. I don't blame you for thinking that. In fact, I accidentally spilled the beans on who busted our tractor doin' some stunts with it."

"Didn't you say that's what _you_ did?" Clyde asked.

"I did, but it was really mah Pa. He wouldn't trust me with another secret of his for a few months." Liam shrugged.

"So, you feel a lot better after hanging with your parents at Dairy Land?" Zach asked.

"Yeah. It was a bit rough at first, with all the lines and stuff. It got better after a while, but then I got spotted by a couple bullies."

"Bullies?" Clyde asked.

Lincoln nodded. "Remember those two guys that almost ruined Halloween?"

Clyde's eyes literally shrank for a few seconds. "No...not them!" His eyes returned to normal size. "I had to visit Dr. Lopez a few times because I had human pretzel dreams!"

Lincoln frowned. "I probably would've became one again, but mom and dad came and stopped them."

Clyde gave a sigh of relief. "That's good." He watched as Ronnie Anne creamed Rusty once again, the latter fuming at how the tether line must've been short on his side. The nerdy boy then saw two people approaching them, one with dark hair and a matching dress, along with another with brown hair and a red jersey. "Hey Lincoln, you're still feeling bad about what you said to Lucy, right?"

The white-haired raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, why?"

"Well," He pointed in their direction. "Here's your chance to talk to her."

Lincoln looked where Clyde was pointing, his eyes locking with Lucy's and Lynn's. Both girls froze on sight for a few seconds before Lucy regained the initiative and walked with Lynn towards him. Lincoln noted that while Lucy seemed more confident, Lynn looked as if she felt she shouldn't be here. She didn't look as bad as Lori made it sound; then again, she did state they were making her feel better. He also noted that her crutches and ankle brace were missing.

 _"Guess her foot finally healed."_ The Loud boy thought to himself.

Lucy let go of Lynn's hand, knowing the jock probably wanted to keep her distance. By then, Ronnie Anne finally took notice of their presence; her attention was divided long enough for Rusty to score a point.

"HAH! SCORE!" The curly redhead raised his arms in triumph.

Ronalda gave a small frown before shooting him a glare. "Doesn't count. I got distracted."

"Still a win for me."

"Hi Lincoln." Lucy spoke in her usual tone once she was in front of him.

"Hey Luce. How have you been?" Lincoln asked, his overall positive vibe nearly taking Lucy by surprise.

"I-I've been well. I have something for you." The goth took her notebook out. "I know you're probably still harboring some animosity towards me, and it might not be enough to change your mind, but I've made this special poem for you in hopes that it removes the darkness from your heart. I know I've made poems before, but this one has something...extra..." She handed the book to Lincoln, who calmly accepted it.

Lincoln had helped Lucy with many poems before, and while he didn't expect much from the one she made just for him, he would soon be proven wrong. The bookmark had the words, "open here", written on it. Lincoln flipped to the page just as Zach decided to try his hand at tetherball. Upon finding the poem, Lincoln blinked as his eyes widened. Almost every line was accompanied with a hand-made drawing, no doubt from the little vampire herself. He cleared his throat before reading.

 _Brother_

 _Luck clouds the mind_

 _As well as the soul_

 _Even to the point_

 _Where you feel cold_

Each line had a corresponding picture that greatly emphasized what the lines meant. The drawings weren't half bad in Lincoln's opinion; Lucy could be a decent artist once she honed her skills with a pencil. The first picture showed the Louds having a fun time, with Lincoln noticeably off to the side with a sad look on his face. The next picture showed some of the girls doing what Lincoln assumed was them refusing to let him attend their events. The third line was paired with a drawing of Lincoln's boarded up room, with the last line a drawing of Lincoln sleeping outside with wavy lines around his body to indicate shivering. Turning the page...

 _Alone in the world_

 _One cannot cope_

 _All they have then_

 _Is nothing but hope_

The next four lines followed the same pattern. Lincoln gave a saddened look as he kept reading. The first line had a drawing of Lincoln in the squirrel suit to go with it, doing a facepalm to signify his annoyance. The next drawing showed Lincoln with sad eyes while he was inside the suit, watching his family enjoying his supposed 'luck'. The next line showed a sad Lincoln without the suit, as well as him being inside an empty space to signify the loneliness the line meant. The last drawing showed Lincoln attempting to talk to his family about getting rid of the suit, a small drawing of the suit being crossed out appearing in a thought bubble above his head. But, it appears the family wasn't listening.

 _But when hope fails_

 _Anger and rage prevail_

 _And it all comes down_

 _Like thunderous hail_

This time, the first drawing showed Lincoln in the suit again, but looking more irritated than upset. Red lines were drawn in Lincoln's eyes to show his increasing anger. The next few pictures made Lincoln pause after each line, quite shocked at how emotional the drawings were. In sequence, the first showed an enraged Lincoln, to which Lucy drew in such detail it was very close to the real thing. Then, the next two pictures showed the boy lashing out at his horrified family; it even included Lincoln and Lynn getting into a fight. A shiver went down his spine as Lincoln flipped to the next page. By that point, Rusty and Zach became intrigued, pausing their game to listen to the rest.

 _All suffer then_

 _From the loner's sorrow_

 _And all will not be well_

 _The day after tomorrow_

Lincoln stuttered a little as he felt the words reflecting on him. It seems Lucy had been crying a little when writing this part, as the pages had a few damp spots on them. He couldn't blame her, as he felt almost ready to do the same. With the first line, it showed the family expressing their regret after what happened in the other drawings. Next, the second line had a picture of Lincoln running away from the house and into the night, tears streaming out of his covered eyes. The next picture showed Lucy finding Lincoln inside a library, and the middle child could already guess where this was going. Sure enough, the last picture was that of Lincoln refusing Lucy's apology. By now, Lincoln felt that same weight that disappeared being pressed onto his chest again as he continued to read.

 _But even so_

 _Hope must be held on_

 _Reach out for our_

 _Brother and son_

This group of pictures was much more lighthearted compared to those before them. Lincoln's voice began to break as he read each line, small tears streaming down his cheeks. The first drawing showed the family sulking at how they might not be able to regain Lincoln's love, a heartbroken symbol with an amateur drawing of Lincoln's head next to it. But the second drawing showed everyone working with confidence to fix what was broken. The third line didn't have a picture with it, but the last one had two. One picture had Lincoln smiling with his siblings surrounding him, with the second picture having Lincoln holding the hands of each parent.

 _In my heart_

 _I feel ever so weary_

 _I just want you to know_

 _I am so very sorry_

 _Brother_

This last section didn't have any pictures, but Lincoln heard Lucy speaking the lines along with him. At this point, Lincoln couldn't keep himself from crying, with Lucy feeling the same way. Without uttering a word, the two siblings hugged each other. Everyone around expressed similar feelings. Lynn felt like she was going to cry and was trying hard not to; she bit her finger in a faint attempt to hide her sorrow. Ronnie Anne was in the same boat, giving a short sniffle every once in a while. Clyde was already crying, using a tissue to clean his eyes. Liam then used the same tissue to clean his nose. Rusty and Zach stood at the tether pole with their mouths agape.

"Deep stuff man..." Rusty finally said. "Deep stuff..."

"Lincoln..." Lucy spoke in a quiet voice.

"Y-Yeah sis?..."

"Those things you said to me in the library...would you have really done that?..."

Lincoln gave a heavy sigh. "No..." He released his hug on Lucy so he could look into her eyes. "I was just too upset at the time. I doubt I could actually bring myself to laugh at you over something like that." Lincoln looked at the ground in shame. "If I did, I'd be even more of a monster than I am when I'm..." He paused, trying to find the right words. " _Very_ upset." Lincoln scratched the side of his head. "I really tend to overdo things when I'm angry...but if it helps," He smiled at the goth, "I was already thinking about forgiving you before you guys came."

Lucy looked at the grass. "Even though you sacrificed your dignity for my sake, I wound up making it appear like I had used you...yet, you still found a way to forgive me even before I made that special gift for you..." A stray tear came out from under her bangs. When she looked back at her brother, Lincoln's eyes became the size of dinner plates. He could actually see one of Lucy's eyes, clear as day, without any strands of hair blocking it. It was watery and had a tear trail flowing from it. "How did we end up with a grateful brother like you?..."

"Guess I'm one of the lucky ones?" Lincoln smiled nervously, before Lucy hugged him with enough force that nearly knocked him over.

The other kids smiled at the cute scene before them, even though Liam, Rusty, and Zach were rather lost on what caused this meeting to play out like this. With Lynn, her smile started to falter; her own guilt coming back to the forefront of her mind. That was another sister Lincoln learned to love again, and another reason for Lynn to feel that this was something she didn't deserve. Lucy had a difficult time on her own reflecting on her previous meeting with her brother, but it's only a week later, and Lincoln had been secretly regretting the harsh words he uttered since. If Lincoln had some guilt about their own fight, he didn't show it, and Lynn wouldn't dare ask him. She deserved to get nearly floored for letting her ego and superstitions get out of control, and even if Lincoln did learn to forgive and forget on that incident...she couldn't forgive herself...

The jock quietly started to shuffle away. _"I shouldn't have come out here..."_ She sighed inwardly. Just as she was about to walk back to the building, someone gently grasped her hand. Lynn turned her head, her mouth parting a little as her eyes widened; her gaze settling on the person who stopped her.

"Lynn...I know it's been a while, but I promised Lori I'd try to talk to you. Plus, Lucy said you had something to say." Lincoln told her, his posture indicating he was as nervous as she was.

* * *

Inside one of the school's computer labs, all of the lights were off while each computer was on standby, ready to be used by the next available person. However, in the very back of the room, one of these devices was still running at full tilt. Chandler's face was illuminated by the monitor as he continued to work on his 'project'. Every few minutes (or every time he heard footsteps), he would rise out of his seat to check the door, hoping no one needed to enter the room. He didn't have the chance to finish his work during class, so he had to find an empty room to put on the finishing touches away from prying eyes. It was lucky enough that he managed to find a room that was still unlocked. Chandler's phone was connected to the computer's tower, and on the screen were several pictures he snapped of Conner and Cristina being together.

Some of the pictures were back shots, so he didn't fiddle with those. Facial shots on the other hand, needed to be edited as Conner didn't look too much like Lincoln if one were to carefully glance at him. Going onto the school's website, Chandler surfed through the student pictures, hardly seeing any of Lincoln's.

"Geez Larry, are you camera shy or something?" He grumbled to himself. "Let's see..." Chandler scrolled through the last names. "Loud...Loud...Loud...there they are." He found a couple pictures of Lincoln's sisters, making special note to avoid them at all costs. _Especially Lana..._

A chill went down the boy's spine as he stared at Lana's picture, scrolling away from it before he finally spotted Lincoln's. Chandler studied the picture like a professional photographer, picking out the details he needed to edit his own work. "Beaver teeth, freckles, and a more circular face...," He cracked his knuckles, "I hope your little girlfriend ruins your teeth Larry..." Chandler chuckled to himself.

* * *

Lynn shifted uneasily, her foot digging into the soil as she found it hard to stare directly at her brother. Lincoln wasn't giving her any look that would indicate aggression, just the sad little frown that he gave all of his sisters when he was worried about them. Lincoln took a glance at his sister's arm, raising his brows at how thin it looked. It wasn't very noticeable, but Lincoln could see it lacked a bit of muscle.

Liam leaned his head over to Clyde. "Why are they actin' all funny?" He spoke in a hushed tone.

"They had a...pretty serious fight. I think it's their first time actually talking to each other." Clyde whispered back.

"Lincoln..." Lynn spoke quietly. Lincoln blinked, his mouth dropping a little. He could've swore for a second, her voice almost sounded like Lucy's. "I'm...I'm not sure if I should even be in _front of you_ right now...as great as a brother you are, I've been nothing but a terrible-no...horrible sister to you. Everything that's happened, all the way back to when I lost that one game..." Lynn's eyes became glassy. When she blinked, small tears started to roll down her cheeks. "It's all my fault...I know you might be thinking you had a hand in everything, b-but if I hadn't let my superstitions get out of hand...if I hadn't called you bad luck..." The teen gritted her teeth as more tears pooled down her face. Her hands tightened into fists as the frustration with herself grew. " _I-If I had just learned to shut my mouth for once_ , none of this would've happened!"

Everyone flinched a little at the sudden yell.

"I always loved you Lincoln...ever since we were babies..." Lynn brought a hand to her face to wipe off a few tear stains. "I couldn't have asked for a better brother than the one I have right now, and I was too stupid to see it..." The brunette sniffled a little. "I didn't mean anything I said that night about not wanting you around, but you were right Lincoln...not only am I a sore loser, I'm the worst sister ever..." She recalled the first nightmare she had following Lincoln's absence. "If you weren't born...I..." Lynn tried to form the words, but the memory of seeing her brother being killed before he even had a chance to be born pushed them down her throat, only letting choked sobs come through. The teen sank to her knees, her hands covering her watery eyes. Tears seeped out from the palms of her hands and between her fingers, running down the length of her arm until they finally dripped off her elbows.

Lucy was beginning to think it wasn't a good idea for Lynn to see Lincoln so soon, seeing as she might've caused her sister to regress again. For Lincoln, his former opinion on Lynn had changed almost completely. Turns out Lori was right: she was dealing with the entire incident _worse_ than he did. Lincoln cried a few times on his own, or in front of Ronnie Anne when he felt like he couldn't call himself a Loud. With Lynn, Lincoln was seeing himself on the first day he ran off into the night: depressed, lonely, lacking self-worth, and most of all, feeling that he was accountable for everything that happened up til then. Sure, Lincoln placed some of the blame on his family. But in the end, like he told Rita, the boy ultimately felt he should take full responsibility. Not only that, this also explained why Lynn appeared kinda thin: she was barely eating like he did on his first night with the Santiagos.

Everyone's phones vibrated as a message came through, but this was ignored.

Lincoln knelt to the ground and hugged Lynn, her tears wetting the sleeve of his polo. The jock shivered slightly at the sudden contact, but didn't try to push away from him. Lincoln rubbed her back in small strokes, gently matting the jock's ponytail. He held the embrace for a few minutes, noting how Lynn's crying had quieted down in that time frame.

"Lynn...I had-" Lincoln's phone vibrated again with as another message came. Taking his phone out, he also noticed everyone else was doing the same. Whether it was a coincidence or otherwise, he didn't know. Taking it off idle, Lincoln saw he had a few messages in his email. He opened the app and found that someone sent him a link to the school website. What was even more shocking, it appeared the same email was sent to everyone in his grade after looking at the contact list. The boy opened the link, and what he saw made him gasp out loud.

On the page the link led him to, there were several pictures of Lincoln and Cristina hanging out. Even more so, there was a sign that said 'Lincstina Forever' embroiled with hearts in the middle of the page. The boys and Lucy all shared the same look: open mouths full of shock. Their eyes turned to Ronnie Anne, who got the same message. Unlike them, her face looked as if sadness and anger were fighting over who should be in control. Tears were forming on the corners of her eyes as she bit her lip to the point she might draw blood. Her phone was clutched in her right hand, shaking as if it was about to break in her tight grip.

The tomboy felt like her heart was breaking into millions of tiny pieces. Lincoln promised that he wouldn't even think about talking to Cristina, especially since he had someone like Ronnie Anne. But, the saying goes that pictures don't lie, and to Ronalda...all those nights she spend with him helping him feel better, all the time she spent with him, the fact Lincoln literally _confessed his feelings_ for her...did all those moments mean nothing?

"Lincoln Loud..." The Hispanic girl spoke in a chilling, yet broken voice. "You better explain this..."

 **A/N: Well, for those of you who waited to see what Chandler was going to do, there's your answer. And for those who wanted Lincoln to forgive Lucy, or were sore about him being mad at her despite having a good reason to be like that, you're welcome. As for the poem, I asked EpsilonMk46 for help on that, since I really suck at poetry. You can thank him for the idea. Now, Lynn may have finally gotten the chance to speak with her brother, despite breaking down mid-sentence, but it seems their reconciliation will have to be put on hold since a scandal has been made. Sorry to leave you guys at a cliff-hanger, but we'll see how they resolve this play with the heart.**


	22. Damaged Relationships

**A/N: Seems I really stirred the crowd up with Chandler finally making due on his promise for revenge (And my neglect for putting it off til last chapter). Some of you are quick to think that his plan shouldn't have worked, but you're forgetting a few key points. First off, just because Lincoln has been staying with Ronalda for a while doesn't mean there isn't an opening where they aren't together.** **They don't even share the same classes every day. Second, everyone knows Ronnie Anne has a bit of a temper and would most likely resort to her fists if she's angered enough. Third, remember how Lincoln said that he caused the whole bad luck issue to happen due to him lying? There's little reason one may believe he's not lying right now, especially against photographic evidence...unless someone were to vouch for him.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

The group stayed silent, their attention divided between a fuming Hispanic tomboy and a fearful looking white-haired child. Rusty and Zach looked at the pictures on their phones, wondering how this came up. They haven't been around Lincoln too often lately, but they know they haven't seen him with Cristina ever since she changed classes. In fact, they hardly saw the redhead at all, even well into Lincoln's newfound popularity. Liam and Clyde glanced at each other, unsure of what to do.

Lucy was at a loss for words. She didn't believe that Lincoln would be one of those mortals who played with the hearts of others, as he didn't seem to have the capacity to do something so deceitful. Sure, Lincoln had lied quite a few times to get something he wanted (or to get out of doing something as the past month had showed). But going as far to cheating on someone? That was a line she doubted Lincoln would ever cross. Not only that, his attraction towards Cristina had died out some time ago, given that he was infatuated with two different girls before Ronnie Anne came into the picture.

Lincoln released Lynn as he stared at the pictures on his phone, wondering who made them and where they were taken at.

"Well?..." Ronalda spoke in a low voice as she stomped over to him. She scrolled around the page, giving every photo a cold glare.

"R-Ronnie Anne, I don't know how this happened, b-but it's not what you think!" Lincoln stuttered out as he turned to her.

"Really, because unless you give me a reason to not floor you right now, the only thing _these_ ," She shoved her phone in Lincoln's face, making him drop his, "Are telling me is that you _lied to me!_ "

Lincoln gently pushed her phone back so he could get a better look. The picture currently on the screen was that of 'Lincoln' and Cristina eating ice cream in front of what he assumed was the place they bought it from. Squinting his eyes a little, Lincoln almost immediately recognized the place. His family went there whenever they felt the need to celebrate something.

"I know that place, but I've _never_ been there with Cristina. I haven't even spoken to her ever since she switched classes!" Lincoln got to his feet. "I think the only time she was even near me was the day you asked me on a date. Plus, I told you that same day that I would turn her down if she asked me. Do you really think I'd lie to you about that?" The boy asked in a pleading tone.

Rusty frowned in annoyance before digging into his pocket, taking out a ten dollar bill. Zach looked smugly at him as he accepted it.

Ronnie Anne held her glare, studying Lincoln's face for any sign of betrayal. If she found even the slightest indication, she swore she was gonna kick him where the sun didn't shine. The silence was thick among them, even as the sound of children playing radiated in the background.

Meanwhile, Lynn stopped crying upon seeing the two kids fuss. Raising an eyebrow, she wiped her eyes before picking up Lincoln's phone. The jock scrolled through the pictures, taking in as much detail as possible. A feeling of unrest stirred within the Loud, finding something quite off about these photos. Much like her brother already said, Lincoln stopped speaking about Cristina ever since he claimed she viewed him as a creep. Taking a quick look at Lincoln, she noticed the boy's hair in the pictures didn't quite match Lincoln's. Her brother's hair had defined lines in it, while this guy's appeared smoothed down. Not only that, but when did Lincoln wear orange t-shirts? _And rolled up his pants legs?_ Thinking back to when she temporarily bunked with him, all Lincoln had was orange polo shirts. It was like he hardly wore anything else. Then again, Lynn couldn't complain since she wore the same jersey and shorts almost every day.

Lynn squinted her eyes as she held the phone closer to them. The boy's infamous teeth looked somewhat misshapen; the chip in 'Lincoln's' tooth was smaller than it actually was. Then, there was the setting for the pictures. Aside from the ice cream parlor, most (if not all) of the pictures were taken at school.

Ronnie Anne softened her glare, taking a deep breath through her nose. "I guess not...but how can I be absolutely sure Lincoln? I mean, you lied to your family before and look what happened afterwards..."

Not a second after Ronalda finished her sentence, Lynn's head snap upwards. She stared off into space as her mind replayed what the younger tomboy just said. _"Did...did she just relate this to Lincoln lying about his luck?..."_ She thought to herself. The sporty girl's left eye twitched a bit as the familiar feeling of anger started to heat up in her chest. Lincoln was no saint by any means, but Lynn felt that to even make a comparison about what led to him leaving the house felt so callous no matter what tone it was uttered in.

The jock's lips narrowed until rows of gritting teeth were shown, her hand curling around Lincoln's phone until an audible crack was heard. Thinking back just a minute ago, despite being around Lincoln the most out of all of them, Ronnie Anne would still think Lincoln would have an impure heart towards her despite it apparently being clear he promised something to her; Lynn figured it had to do with a sappy saying like "I'll always be yours" or something gag-worthy.

The Loud boy was about to give his reply when the teen finally spoke. "How dare you..."

Ronnie Anne and Lincoln glanced at Lynn in confusion. "Huh?" They both said.

Lynn got to her feet, her heated gaze trained on Ronalda. "You got some nerve Santiago!" The sports fanatic yelled out as she marched up to the younger girl, stopping when her face was mere inches away. "Do you honestly believe that my brother, _whose been open and honest with you since he's been at your house,"_ The jock prodded Ronalda's chest harshly at the last 3 words, "Would be lying to you?!"

Lincoln frowned, growing nervous at Lynn's behavior. "Lynn-" He stopped as the teen held a finger inches from his nose.

" _Not now Lincoln_..." Lynn spoke harsher then she meant, not taking her eyes off the Santiago girl.

Lincoln gulped, taking a small step back. If it were any other circumstance, he might've challenged Lynn's aggression. However, seeing her go from breaking down in front of him to being extremely aggravated scared him into submission. Lincoln knew full well what Lynn was capable of when angered, and he surely wasn't looking for a fight unlike 2 weeks ago.

"Look, I just-" Ronalda started.

"Just what? Being uncertain about your relationship with my brother when you know you've been no better?!"

The Queen of Pain furrowed her brows. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?!"

"Don't think I didn't know about the ways you've been showing your 'affection' for Lincoln in public. I can't remember the number of times he's come home with food stains on the inside of his pants. I wonder who put them there, cause he _clearly_ wouldn't do that himself!"

Ronalda bit her lip, glacing away from Lynn for a second. She opened her mouth to reply, but Lynn continued. "I find it funny that only recently I hear you actually asked him on a date. If I had to guess, you probably felt really bad after seeing that video of Lincoln beating the snot out to that jerk Chandler."

Ronalda growled. "H-How would you know that?..."

Lynn heard the girl's voice crack a bit when she spoke, making her glare soften a little. "Because I felt the same way..." She looked at the ground. "I looked back at the times I would wrestle with Lincoln, and came to realize he probably didn't enjoy it as much as I did. It was no question as to why he would avoid me sometimes..." Lynn looked back at the other tomboy, her hardened glare returning. "But if he promised that he wouldn't hurt you, given what he just said, that really goes to show how much trust you have in him..."

The look Ronalda gave Lynn looked to be that of contempt, but the teen could see through the facade. She noticed small tears were pooling in the younger girl's eyes, but she was a little stubborn at trying to save face. In a way, Lynn understood her. The 13 year old didn't like to be viewed as weak, which was likely due to her own inflated ego and possible insecurities. But, Lynn finally saw the truth after waking up to the harsh reality of seeing what being an egotistical jerk can do to those around you. So, the sporty Loud felt she was gonna have to get that out of Ronnie Anne; at least so she doesn't suffer like Lynn herself did.

"You also don't seem to know Lincoln well enough to realize that these pictures are _clearly_ fake." Lynn glanced at the phone, zooming in on a few photos. "I want you to take a good, _hard look_ at these. And don't you dare tell me something isn't off about the guy in those shots."

Ronalda squinted at the pictures. Her anger started go bubble again, but seeing Lynn's glare from her perifrial vision told her that refusing her order wouldn't be wise. Everyone else sans Lincoln decided to do the same, trying to pick out what was false. It wasn't noticable at first, but a few quick glances at Lincoln made Ronnie Anne wide eyed as she finally saw past the facade. The Hispanic tomboy noticed most of the same differences Lynn had seen, and they would've easy to find had she not been only looking at the surface. Guilt pooled into Ronnie Anne like garbage into a trash bin, and the familiar feeling she had that night with Lincoln returned with a vengeance.

Lynn watched as Ronalda's mouth pursed a bit, her eyes becoming more glassy as tears started to leak out. Her lips started to quiver, and the jock knew the waterworks were gonna start soon. Lynn frowned a little, feeling a little uneasy at making the tomboy upset. A loud beep suddenly cut through the air. Everyone glanced back at the school. For the 5th graders, it meant their recess was almost done; but for Lynn and Lucy, their classes were changing.

The brunette gave a heavy sigh. "Look, I'm sorry...but I gotta go..." She handed Lincoln his phone before walking to the gymnasium.

Lucy followed after her, running only until she caught up to her older sister. "Lynn...don't you think you were a little harsh on her? The differences weren't as obvious, but still..."

"We already made the mistake of not believing Lincoln when he was telling the truth. I'll be damned if someone else does that to him..." Lynn gave a solemn glance at the goth. "I just don't want her to do the same thing we did."

Lucy blinked before staring at the ground.

Lincoln watched his sisters head back to the school before a sniffle directed his attention to Ronnie Anne. Tear drops dripped off her cheeks as she took broken breaths through her nose to keep mucus from coming out. Ronnie Anne brought a hand to her face, curling a fist against her forehead. While she was embarrassed at the fact Lynn dressed her down in front of everyone, the Queen of Pain was more frustrated in herself at how she was quick to think Lincoln would betray her feelings instead of trusting him. Not only that, she felt like a complete idiot for almost being tricked.

The Loud walked up to the crying girl, tenderly wrapping his arms around her. The tomboy didn't make any attempts to resist, opting to bury her head in his shoulder as she weeped. The other 4 boys were a bit stunned; this being the first time they've seen someone like _Ronnie Anne_ crying. Lincoln however, wasn't shocked since he witnessed it before.

Clyde looked at his phone again. "You know...Lynn does have a point. I haven't seen you with Cristina at all, and we have most of our classes together. Looking at these pictures, most of them were taken during school as well." Clyde zoomed in on a photo. "And wherever Rm 208 is."

"She's not in our gym class, wood shop class, art class..." Rusty added, counting off his fingers.

"I remember spottin' her in the hall a couple times, but Lincoln wasn't around." Liam piped up.

Lincoln glowered at the ground before casting said look at his friends. "Guys...now isn't the best time to-"

"No, they're right... _she_ was right..." Came Ronalda's muffled voice. Lincoln looked at Ronnie Anne as she lifted her head. "I should've just listened to you instead of thinking you were a cheater...y-you promised me you wouldn't do anything to hurt me, and you've stuck to that..." She gritted her teeth. _"Dammit! Why did I act so stupid?!"_ The tomboy uttered in Spanish.

"Ronnie Anne, don't beat yourself up over it. Those pictures could've fooled anyone."

"But I should've known better! I shouldn't have bought into that farce at first glance..."

Lincoln doubted that claim since the pictures looked convincing enough. After all, that was the whole point of that discussion Lynn made minutes ago. Still, he didn't want to make the girl even more upset than she already was.

The white-haired male sighed. "Just...just try not to think about it ok? I'm ok with you being mad at me, it's not your fault. I just wonder who was making those pictures..."

Ronnie Anne stared off into space, her hands forming fists as murderous thoughts entered her mind. "When I find out who did, I'm going to beat them so hard their mom will _wish_ she kept her legs closed..." The venom in her tone was enough to make Lincoln flinch slightly.

"Oookaaay..." Clyde started, trying to dispel the tension. "But what are you guys gonna do now? No doubt most of our grade thinks you're dating Cristina."

Lincoln released Ronnie Anne, uncertainty apparent in his posture. "I'm...not sure. I mean, I could just tell everyone it's a fake, but they might not believe me."

Ronalda took one of her hands and firmly grasped Lincoln's. He looked at her in confusion. "Ronnie Anne?"

"Remember when I said I would show _real_ affection if I needed to?" Lincoln nodded. "Well,..." She blushed a little, "Guess it's time I prove a point to everyone else." The Hispanic girl pinched Lincoln's cheek in a teasing way. _"You're mine."_

The other boys couldn't help but chuckle a little, with the Loud's face becoming flushed red. Lincoln laughed nervously before smiling as the tomboy lightly kissed the pinched area. The bell rang again shortly after, signalling recess to be over. Rusty and Liam raced each other to the doors while the rest walked; Lincoln and Ronnie Anne continuing to hold hands the entire time. Despite being nervous about the commotion and gossip they'd likely face, both kids were confident that they could handle it together.

Plus, Lynn was probably on a witch hunt by now.

* * *

Conner stood uneasily as he gazed at the pictures on his phone; sweat dripped down the side of his head like a leaking fire hydrant. Nearly every moment he had with Cristina was plastered on the Internet for the world to see. He noticed that Chandler had edited his face to look more like Lincoln's, but the style of clothing was a dead giveaway.

"Seriously?! _This_ is what he wanted to do with them?!" Conner whispered to himself, noticing a picture of the ice cream place they were at yesterday. His anxiety diminished a bit as the thought of his privacy being invaded bothered him. "That sneaky little..." Conner gave a low sigh. " No one can be stupid enough to fall for this..."

"Did you know that Cristina was actually dating Lincoln?" A girl roughly Conner's age asked her friend as they walked past him.

"No, but better her than that troll Ronnie Anne. Like, I can't even..." The other responded.

The Pingrey child deadpanned a little. "Ok, I stand corrected. I hope Cristina hasn't seen these yet..."

Conner pocketed his phone and made his way to his locker. As he passed through a few hallways, the boy took note of how every other 5th grader seemed to have gotten the same email. The conversations ranged from talking about how cute 'Lincoln' and Cristina looked to some even arguing about who the boy was _really_ dating. A few expressed their opinion that Lincoln could be potentially playing both girls. The silver-haired boy even heard a few other males expressing their envy of how 'Lincoln' supposedly stole their crush. Conner soon reached his locker and started changing his books out.

Right as he finished and stood up straight, he caught sight of a familiar shade of red hair. At first, he thought it might've been Cristina, but the trail of glares and distasteful mutters told him it was another certain redhead. Knitting his brows, Conner slammed his locker shut and pushed his way through the sea of students.

He soon spotted Chandler heading into the boy's restroom. _"Good. He's got nowhere to run."_ Conner thought as he gritted his teeth a little.

Inside, Chandler did his business at one of the urinals before washing his hands in the sink. He smirked to himself in the mirror, having listened to a few of the conversations that went on in the halls. He hadn't seen Lincoln yet, and none of the gossip going around gave any hint that Ronnie Anne got into a fight with him. In fact, he actually heard the two were seen holding hands along with some not-so-kind words about Lincoln being a two-timer. Chandler gave a small 'hmph', shaking the excess water off his hands. Ronnie Anne may not be as dumb as he thought, but damaging the Loud's reputation seemed to be just as good.

As he reached for the paper towels, the door slammed open. "You!" Conner spoke just loud enough over the noise. He shut the door before locking it so no one butted in on their 'talk'.

Chandler turned to the fuming boy. "Oh, hey Conner. What's up?" The redhead replied, ignoring Conner's heated glare.

"What the heck did you do?!" Conner yelled as he stood inches from Chandler.

The rich kid gave a smug grin, folding his arms. "Isn't it obvious? Didn't you hear the conversations going on out there?"

"Yeah, I heard. But why did you post every moment I had with Cristina on the Internet?!" Conner hissed, narrowing his eyes.

Chandler dropped his usual look, giving a frown. "I think it was obvious I planned on ruining Larry's rep like he did to me. The fact you were dense enough to change your hair on accident was just luck. Still, you were missing a few key traits Larry had, so I had to do a little work to make it look good."

Conner gave a small growl as he looked at the floor. "Look, I don't care too much about you editing my face, but you using Cristina like that...that's just low man..."

Chandler raised an eyebrow. "And why do you care? Did you actually fall for her or something?"

Conner didn't respond, but the fact his cheeks were turning a faint red gave Chandler the answer he needed. The rich kid chuckled a bit. "Wow. You did, didn't you? Well, you're so screwed now."

The Pingrey kid balled his hands up. "Not as much as you'll be once I tell people what's really going on!"

Chandler snorted. "What? Looking like that? I'd imagine Larry is probably pissed right now with how some think he's a cheater. Imagine if he saw you looking the way you are right now. Or better yet, what if _Ronnie Anne_ saw you?"

Conner tried to hold up his aggression, but it faltered as a chill went up his spine. Glancing at the mirror, the redhead had a point. If either one of them saw Conner, he wouldn't be able to tell which person he'd want to be killed by. Ronnie Anne had a fierce reputation in their grade, but with Lincoln proving to have an angry side, the Loud was on the tomboy's level, or maybe even _above_ it.

The smug grin returned on the rich kid's face. "Oh, and don't think I didn't know that you might've tried to weasel out of this. Why else did I not let you know about what I had planned in the first place?" He reached into his pocket, producing a roll of cash that was tied up by a rubberband. "But, I am fair and reasonable. So, here's your prize; there's also an extra 10 in there so you'll keep your mouth shut."

Conner gave a sour look at the other boy, begrudgingly accepting the cash a moment later. He took the band off and counted it to make sure Chandler wasn't trying to swindle him. True to his word, it was a whole $360.

Chandler put his hands in his pockets as he walked past the silver-haired kid. "Oh, and if I were you, I'd probably find some different clothes to wear." He unlocked the door, opening it halfway. "And one last thing," The redhead glanced back, "Do something about your hair, will ya?" With that, Chandler was gone.

Conner stared at the door for what seemed like an eternity. Despite having been rewarded for his part in Chandler's little scheme, he felt like he had been played. He hardly contributed much to the whole picture, only accidentally dying his hair a lighter color than what it really was. Not only that, Chandler was essentially leaving him to take the fall should he be questioned by anyone. Worst yet, there wasn't any direct way to link Chandler to the photos aside from the word of someone few might trust.

Those thoughts festered in Conner's mind as anger grabbed the controls and shifted into overdrive. Clutching his textbook hard, the boy yelled in frustration as he threw one at the mirror, causing a sizable crack to form. "Gosh darn it to heck! Now what am I supposed to do?!" He fumed, pacing angrily around the room. This didn't last long, the warning bell ringing seconds later. "Ugh!" Conner stopped and took a few deep breaths. "Relax Conner, you can do this...all you need to do is avoid being seen by Pineapple Boy and his date..."

The silver-haired child poked his head out the bathroom. The halls were thinning out as students rushed to their last classes for the day. He didn't see any sign of Lincoln or Ronnie Anne, so he stepped out and speed-walked to his class. Every once in a while, Conner would glance over his shoulder just to make sure he wasn't being followed.

"I hope Cristina is having an easier time dealing with this..."

* * *

"Girls, for the last time, I'm _not_ seeing Lincoln! Those photos are fake!" Cristina told her two friends in the lunch room.

"Suuure you're not, but pictures don't lie Cris. And you two look sooo cute together!" Beth grinned, scrolling through each photo. "It must've been hard stealing him from Ronnie Anne."

"And you're not even listening to a word I say, are you?..." The redhead groaned, propping her shoulder on the table and resting her head on her palm. Beth and Jenny had been gushing about it for the last 15 minutes, with no sign of stopping no matter how many times Cristina denied their claims.

The second those photos were posted, Cristina felt the color drain from her face. She was initially shocked and worried about her privacy being breached, as the last thing she wanted was another creep on her case. She originally counted Lincoln as one, though all he had was a secret crush; but this was essentially stalking at its finest. She thought someone might show legitimate concern about it, but instead, Cristina was met with scores of people supporting the so-called relationship she had with 'Lincoln'.

However, much like Conner's situation, this was quickly met with a few people whom believed Cristina's claim and saw Lincoln and Ronnie Anne together holding hands some time earlier. Some even went as far to call him a womanizer, which led to even further arguing. Not wanting to get caught up in the shipping war, Cristina just did her best to ignore it. That is, until her best friends came along...

"Come on Cristina. You know Ronnie Anne robbed you of the chance to ask him out _right in front of you_. And she freaking knew it! You could at least tell us how you managed to get him away from that witch." Jenny added.

Cristina pinched the bridge of her nose. "You know what? Forget this..." She stood up and grabbed her tray.

Beth raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

"Anywhere but here..." The redhead dumped her half-eaten food in the trash before storming out of the lunch room.

Beth watched her leave before turning to Jenny. "What's her problem?"

The shorter girl shrugged. "She's probably mad her secret got out."

Cristina breathed hot air out of her nose as she stomped her way to the library. Maybe there she could escape the crazies that made up the student body. Passing through the double doors, she noted a few students were inside. Like all libraries, it was usually quiet to the point you could hear the AC running. Since she didn't have any other class before school ended, Cristina figured she'd find something to read to kill time.

Reading was a favorite pastime of hers, an old habit that stuck ever since she was a toddler. Cristina usually read almost any genre, but fantasy and sci-fi caught her interest the most. The redhead walked around in that particular section, eyes scanning for anything worth her attention.

Cristina held a finger out, the digit gracing the hard covers of the books on a shelf. "No...no...no..." She stopped at one in particular. "Hmmm..." As soon as she pulled it off the shelf, a person's face was revealed to be behind it. Cristina jumped back a few feet, letting out a small yelp while the other person was just as surprised.

"C-Conner?" Cristina whispered, coming down from her shock.

"Uh...hi?" The boy replied nervously.

"W-What are you doing in there? And more importantly, why?"

"I was heading to class when this crazy girl started chasing me. I didn't know who she was, but she had murder in her eyes! I think I lost her in here though..."

"How long have you been hiding in there?"

Conner shrugged. "20 minutes, maybe? I don't know if she's gone..."

Cristina looked around for a moment. "What does she look like?"

"Brown hair, red jersey with shorts to match..."

Cristina put up a finger before putting the book back in front of Conner's face. The Pingrey child heard her footsteps fade away, leaving him to his thoughts. Conner didn't know what that girl wanted, or why she was even mad at him. Did it have something to do with Lincoln? Most likely, otherwise he wouldn't be hiding in a bookcase. Conner held his breath as another set of feet were heard. The book was pulled away from his face to reveal Cristina.

"I didn't see anyone who looked like that."

Conner let out a sigh. "Ok...give me a sec." The boy shuffled his way to an exit. Cristina followed him until he finally squeezed through the opening out after a few moments. "Today went from boring to heck..."

The redhead nodded. "Tell me about it...and speaking of which," The girl pulled out her phone, "Any idea on whose been taking _these?"_

Conner sweated a little. He didn't want to have to tell Cristina everything, but at this point, he didn't have anyone else he could turn to for help. And he didn't want to leave her in the dark; along with the fact he couldn't walk alone in the halls for fear of getting jumped by some crazy sports girl.

The silver-haired child sighed, his shoulders sagging. "This is my fault..."

Cristina raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Conner fiddled with his fingers as he gazed at her feet. "When I was at the dentist last week, Chandler happened to be there and he promised me a decent amount of money if I helped him..." He looked up. "But he-" An open palm smacked Conner's cheek, the slap echoing throughout the room. "Ow!" The boy rubbed his sore spot, staring at the angry redhead.

"Seriously Conner?! Why in the world would you want to work with _Chandler_ of all people?! Didn't you see what he did to that little girl?!" Cristina whispered harshly.

"Yes, and I was gonna try and screw him over in the end!" This earned him another slap. He winced as a stray tear was almost knocked loose from the side he was struck.

"Well look what happened! You ended up using me for some sick scam!"

"I would _never_ use you!"

"Then why is your hair white like Lincoln's?!"

Conner pinched the bridge of his nose. "We've been over this already. It was because of my sister's shampoo! My hair is actually blonde!"

Cristina folded her arms. "Then why haven't you changed it back?!"

"Because one," Conner held up a finger, "My sister hasn't been to store to get some conditioner to remove it. And two..." He paused, retracting his finger. "You said you liked it...and on that note, I didn't even know what Chandler was gonna do; and he knew I was thinking about betraying him. He even left me to take the blame since hardly anyone would think he's the one whose behind this!"

Both kids heard a hissing sound. Turning, they saw the librarian glaring at them before continuing to push a cart full of books.

"Look...I didn't mean to get you roped into this, and I'm sorry. I was trying to figure out what the heck he was gonna do, but I was too late..." Conner shoved his hands in his pockets. "I would tell people the truth, but I doubt they'd listen, or they might figure it out and try to kill me. It's bad enough I have to avoid Lincoln and Ronnie Anne, but now with some unnamed girl on my case, who else wants my head?..."

Cristina continued to glare at the Pingrey boy as he talked, only dispelling some of her irritation when it seemed like Conner was stuck in a corner with no way out. The redhead sighed. "If it was that bad, why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

"Because..." Conner rubbed his arm. "I knew you'd hate me for it and never want to speak to me again..."

Cristina pursed her lips, shifting her weight a little to one leg. "...Well...I wouldn't necessarily _hate_ you for what you did, and I'm still deciding whether or not I should just leave you to face this alone."

Conner's gaze sank to the floor in a half-lidded stare.

"But..." The redhead temporarily gazed at a nearby shelf. "That would be too cruel for me to do that to someone whose literally facing too many odds..." She tapped her foot twice. "I don't hate you Conner, I'm just mad that you weren't entirely up front with me..."

"Then what do you think we should do? Can't you just tell people you aren't seeing Lincoln?"

Cristina shook her head. "In case you haven't been listening to what people are saying out there, it's either they think I'm with Lincoln, he's with Ronnie Anne, or somewhere in-between. I even told my friends multiple times those photos were fake, but they weren't listening." The girl glanced at the time on her phone. "School's about to end. I'll see you tomorrow..."

Conner frowned as he watched her leave. The boy bit his lip, waves of depression filling every part of his being as he felt he blew any chance of having a decent friendship with Cristina. Sure, she wasn't too upset at him, but the feeling of disappointment outweighs that of anger. It'd be a miracle if the redhead learned to trust him again.

* * *

A few hours later, Carol walked through the front door of her house. The teen sighed as she closed it; Monday's in high school were always a pain in the rear. Seconds after, sounds were heard from the living room. Carol didn't see any of her parents' cars when she came home, so it was probably her siblings. She set her purse on a nearby table before poking her head around the corner. The TV was on with a rerun of "The Vampires of Melancholia" playing. Carol deadpanned a little; only one person in the house would bother watching that bore-fest.

"Hello Cassy." Carol greeted as she leaned over the couch.

"Hey." The 13 year old replied, not taking her focus off the TV.

Carol glanced to her left, spotting Conner lying face down next to her sister. "Is he sleeping?"

"No." Cassandra leaned over and poked his foot. The 11 year old responded by kicking her hand away.

"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone?..." Came the boy's half-irritated muffled voice.

Carol raised an eyebrow, looking at Cassy for answers. "He's been like that since we got home." Cassy responded. By then, the show ended. The younger teen sat the remote down. "TV's yours. I'm gonna go text Maggie for a bit."

With Cassandra giving up her seat, Carol sat down next to her brother. "Bro, what's wrong?"

"Nothing..." Conner replied, still not taking his face off the pillow.

"Come on Conner. The last time you felt this way was when you found out THQ went bankrupt."

"Why would you care?..."

Carol rolled her eyes. "Uh, because I'm your _older sister_? It's literally my job to make sure you and Cassandra are doing ok." The blonde gave a small frown. "Though it's hard to tell if she's 'happy'. Is there something wrong at school?"

Conner didn't answer. He gave a heavy sigh before lifting his head enough so his chin could rest on the pillow. "A lot of things went wrong..."

"Did you fail a test and don't want to tell mom and dad about it?"

The younger sibling knitted his brows and looked at his sister. "No. My grades are fine, thank you..."

"Social trouble?"

Conner gave a sideways glance. Carol tapped her chin. "Is it...girl trouble?"

Seeing her brother's face form a deeper frown gave the teen the answer she needed. Carol folded her legs and leaned closer, a smug grin forming on her face. "So, who is she? Did you try asking her out?"

Conner felt his cheeks warm a little. "No!..." His frown returned. "Though I wish I had..."

Carol's grin faltered as concern took over. "Oh...did someone ask her before you did?"

"No...she's just disappointed in me right now..."

"Ahh..." Carol nodded. "I know what that feels like...so what happened?"

Conner sat up straight, fiddling with his fingers. "...You won't get mad will you?" He gave a nervous glance at her.

"No? Why?"

"...Well..."

The next few minutes were spent with Conner telling his eldest sister everything, from the time he met Chandler all the way to the whole shipping war that was going on at school. Carol looked rather surprised in the beginning, then narrowed her eyes like she was secretly scolding her brother for being affiliated with the likes of a jerk. Then, around the incident at school, her face returned to being concerned and even a little heartbroken.

"And now, I'm stuck at a dead end with 3 people to avoid." Conner fell back on the couch. "I might as well write my will for tomorrow..."

Carol's face hardened a bit, her determination showing as a plan formed in her head. "No, you're not." She pulled on Conner's shirt until he was sitting up again. "Look, I may be disappointed at you for what you did, but no one uses my brother on my watch." She released him, unfolding her legs before standing up. "Now put your shoes on, we're going shopping."

Conner raised an eyebrow, standing up. "How is _shopping_ going to help?"

"One," Carol walked to the door and grabbed her purse, "We're getting that conditioner to change your hair back. Two, we're getting you some new clothes. Probably the worst time to bring it up, but I always hated how you constantly rolled your pants legs. I mean, they're long enough where you don't need to do that." Conner knitted his brows at that. "And three," Carol gave a smug stare, "You're gonna get a little present for your girlfriend."

Conner's eyes went wide, his face becoming beat red. "S-She's not my girlfriend!"

Carol opened the door. "That's what every man says before it becomes true." She took her brother's hand and dragged him out the door.

Upstairs, Cassandra had been listening to the conversation with interest. She whipped out her phone and started to text her friend. "Maggie might get a kick out of this."

 **A/N: So Chandler's plan didn't work as intended, but it did cause a bit of an uproar at the school. Not only that, it's also damaged the relationship Conner and Cristina had. But, big sister Carol is there to correct the situation. As far as what will happen to Chandler later, that's a secret. But for now, it's not entirely certain whether Lincoln actually forgave Lynn, which may be covered in the next chapter. Also, a certain Loud may need to use her expertise to figure out the mystery behind the photos.**


	23. Repairing The Damaged

**A/N: As the shipping wars continue in the school, all parties involved are now trying to figure out ways to fix this situation, or at the very least spell it out that the photos were fake. We've already seen what Lincoln and Ronnie Anne intend to do, as well as Carol and Conner. But what of Lynn and Lucy? While I'll get to the others later, let's see how the Louds are dealing with the outcome of the last chapter. With some hope, certain people might be able to reconcile with each other and hopefully avoid confrontation.**

 **Also, as a note to Xaiver, you aren't in any position to make demands. So, in other words, KEEP CRYING BABY!**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

Lola spent the last hour or so in the living room, enjoying the feeling of being the couch commando before any of her other siblings came home. If more than one person wanted to watch the tube, it was a given that the Louds would fight for it. Fortunately, Lola didn't have to worry about Lana wanting the TV, seeing that the older twin was playing with Hops outside. In the dirt. However, the six year old couldn't help but wonder why everyone couldn't just get TVs for their rooms. Surely there was nothing more simple than just putting a few cords into a wall and sticking them to the boob tube, right?

Speaking of siblings, Lola looked out the window just behind the TV for any sign of her other two older sisters. Lynn and Lucy didn't get on the bus with them this afternoon, and being that it was Monday, they didn't have any clubs or whatever to attend. Well, Lucy didn't; Lynn was still putting off sports for an unknown amount of time.

Looking up at the clock, the little princess saw it was almost 3:30. "Where are they?..."

Suddenly, the front door slammed open as a foot kicked it inward. Lynn stomped in, hot air blowing out of her nose with each breath with a neutral-looking Lucy trailing after. Lola could practically see the steam coming off the jock's head.

"I almost had him Lucy...I was _THIS_ close!" The jock spoke venomously, raising two fingers and leaving only a small space of open air between them to enforce her point.

"Are you sure you checked _everywhere_ in the library? He could've hid in the vents you know. Or behind a bookcase." The goth replied.

Lynn whirled her head around, her ponytail swinging out a bit before resting in its usual position. "I said 'yes' the last few times you asked that!" She then spoke through gritted teeth. "And berating me for losing that boy. Isn't. Helping..."

Although they couldn't see it, Lucy was furrowing her brows behind her locks. "I wasn't berating you, I was just pointing out possible hiding places." The eight year old folded her arms. "It's what I'd do if I wanted some peace when I write."

Lynn narrowed her eyes. "Well, that 'linclone' faker wasn't a goth like you, so how would you know?" Turning around, the teen stomped up the stairs; the sound of a door being slammed was heard seconds later. Lucy gave a low sigh, pinching the bridge of her eyes through her hair.

Lola looked between her dark sister and the stairs. "What...just happened? I know we wanted Lynn to be herself again, but not like _that._ "

"Sigh. We had some...complications at school."

Lola's eyes widened. "Did your meeting with Linky fail?"

Lucy shook her head. "No. He read my poem and forgave me almost immediately after, even apologizing for some of the hurtful things he said to me when I found him in the school library that Friday after he ran away." Lucy walked over to the couch, placing her book on the coffee table. "It's what happened _after_ that has Lynn being her usual, angry self."

Lola shifted her position a little, supporting her head on a lazy arm. "Well, spill. I hadn't heard zip from school."

"Right after Lynn had apologized to Lincoln (and cried on the ground afterwards), someone sent some false photos to everyone in his grade." Taking her phone out, Lucy pulled up her image folder and showed the screen to the younger girl.

Lola leaned in, eyes narrowed as she studied the doctored photos. "Wait, you said everyone in _Lincoln's_ grade. How did you get these?" She glanced up at Lucy, raising a brow.

"Haiku sent them to me."

Lola hummed, noting the different type of apparel this 'Lincoln' had, not to mention the other girl in the photo. "Isn't that the girl Lincoln had a crush on before he met Ronnie Anne?"

"It is." The goth took her phone back, chancing a look herself. "Now, most of the school thinks Lincoln is either lucky or a cheater. I don't think they have the courage to say it directly to him though, and I did see both him and Ronnie Anne trying to prove these are fakes."

"Well, if whoever that boy is thinks he can imitate our brother, he has another thing coming if he knows what's good for him! I mean, did you see the way he dresses? Like, no class at all. I wonder what that Cristina girl is seeing in him."

"I don't either..." Lucy put her phone away. "But Lynn was close to finding out since she actually _saw_ the boy who was pretending to be Lincoln. He even had silver-like hair from what she said. She chased after him, but..."

"Lost him in the library, I heard." Lola folded her arms. "So what now? This sounds like something Lisa ought to be looking into."

"Lynn said she'd do that." The two girls heard something being punched, along with the faint rattling of a chain; Lynn was without a doubt exercising her frustration on her punching bag. "After she vents that is." Lucy grabbed the remote. "And I'm not going up there while she's angry."

Lola grabbed the top half of the remote. "Um, I wasn't done watching my show." She spoke with a hard glare.

Lucy yanked the remote in her direction. "I'm not in the mood to watch pageants, thank you."

Lola yanked it back. "And _I_ was here first!" She retorted.

The two girls growled at each other, neither wishing to relinquish control of the TV. After a short tug-o-war over the remote, Lola grabbed part of Lucy's hair and forced her head into the couch cushions. The goth responded in kind by grabbing the girl by her waist and tossing her to the floor, only to be pulled down due to Lola still holding her hair. Lana came back inside with mud on her overalls right as the two girls started to brawl. Giving a shrug, she went up the stairs, Hops following after her.

* * *

At the Santiago residence, a certain young couple sat at the kitchen table doing their homework. There was an air of frustration surrounding them, each child giving a tired gaze at their worksheets as they completed them. Thankfully, the cause of it wasn't from each other; rather, it was who they had to deal with.

Ronnie Anne groaned a bit, her head supported lazily on her arm as she jotted down notes. "Is it just me or is homework even _more_ boring to do today?..."

"I thought it was _always_ boring. But, yeah...still worn out by the constant pestering from other guys in my class. They're either jealous of me or feel like I'm some kind of cheater..." Lincoln tapped his pen on the paper, having lost his train of thought.

Ronnie Anne set her pencil down, unable to focus on her writing. "If you think that's bad, I had girls constantly telling me that Cristina deserved you more than I did. As a group. Like a broken record..." Her lip curled down a bit as her eyebrows furrowed. "They're lucky school just ended, cause I was about ready to rearrange their faces. At least they were smart enough to finally shut up when they saw how angry I was getting, but I really wanted to get out of there..."

Lincoln gave a half-lidded frown at the Hispanic girl. The pestering he had gotten was a mix between some boys being jealous of him by capturing two girl's hearts, a small amount of praise, and calling him a womanizer. He hated the latter, as Lincoln didn't believe himself to be one to play with another's feelings like that. He got over Cristina some time after she switched classes, so he had no need to even glance in her direction. Like Ronalda's situation, some boys had noticeably backed off their commenting when they noticed Lincoln becoming irate.

The Loud boy gave a small huff as he looked back at his homework. _"Looks like me beating up Chandler's gang is still on everyone's minds."_ He smirked inwardly, this being the only time he was happy to be feared.

Still, if they were going to be dealing with hecklers for the rest of the week, both of them would eventually be driven mad. The last thing Lincoln and Ronalda needed was to wound up starting a fight and getting suspended. Ronnie Anne was already becoming infuriated, and while Lincoln had a higher level of tolerance, even that would run out if his patience was tested too much.

Sparing another look at his girlfriend, a heavy weight filled Lincoln's chest as he gazed into her depressed, brown eyes. Given how close they've gotten, it shouldn't be too surprising that he'd feel similar to her; though what Lincoln was dwelling on was something he couldn't quite describe himself. He felt as if he'd do just about anything to see Ronnie Anne smiling again, similar to what he'd do for his sisters if he saw them being depressed. However, this particular feeling ran deeper. If he had to describe it, Lincoln would say it was like the sunlight being blocked out by a shroud of clouds. Only difference there is that he could actually do something to make the sun come back.

And he had one idea on how to do that.

"Hey Ronnie Anne." The Hispanic girl glanced up at him. "I was gonna wait til the weekend, but...do you..."A Tony of red became visible on his face. "D-Do you wanna go to Jillian's tonight? It'd be on me."

Ronalda's eyes widened a bit, the words replaying in her head. A small smile appeared on her face. "Lincoln Loud, a-are you asking me on a date?" Her tone wasn't mocking in any sense, but it did have a ring of mild amusement.

Lincoln rubbed his arm, a habit he had picked up whenever he got nervous. He bit his lip as he started pushing down any fear that resided in his mind. His gaze hardened as he put on a showcase of bravado look as manly as possible. "Y-Yes. I, Lincoln Loud, am asking _you_ on a date. I mean...you did ask me to go to Gus' a while back, and you wanted to go to Jillian's, so-" Lincoln was cut off as Ronnie Anne put a finger on his lips.

"My answer is yes." Ronalda replied with a warm smile. The tomboy saw through Lincoln's little facade, but she wanted to let him have his moment. She removed her finger from his mouth, that smile being replaced with a look of concern. "But, will we be able to go there? I mean, it's Monday, and my parents aren't really into me going out on a school night."

Lincoln tapped his chin. "We could ask Bobby."

Ronalda shook her head. "Nah. He's delivering pizzas tonight."

"Dang it..." Lincoln muttered. It wasn't that he was against the idea of asking Ronnie Anne's parents for permission, but he was rather nervous about just coming up and saying he wanted to take their daughter on an outing.

 _"I just hope Mr. Santiago isn't one of those overprotective dads..."_ The white-haired child shuddered a little.

* * *

"No...no...here it is." Carol spoke as she sorted through a shelf, grabbing a specific brand of shampoo.

"Are you absolutely sure that's going to work?" Conner asked impatiently, his arms folded as he glanced around nervously. He was wearing a black beanie on his head to hide his hair. Normally, he would've ditched it since it was too hot to be wearing one, but the boy didn't want to risk being spotted by Lincoln or that crazy girl from school.

"Oh, it will." Carol read the directions on the back of the bottle. "This is the same shampoo I had to use when I accidentally dyed my hair red."

Conner raised an eyebrow. "You dyed your hair _red?!_ "

"It was a couple years ago. And nice to see you stopped whining about your clothes." The older girl gave a smug grin.

The Pingrey siblings had visited a few stores to get Conner some new threads, two of which he was already wearing. He had on a blue plaid t-shirt as well as grey checkered pattern cargo shorts; clothes that Carol had picked out.

Conner tugged at one of the sleeves, checking out the rest of his attire. "I guess you could say it grew on me?"

"Good, cause honestly, I hated the way you rolled up your pants legs." Carol replied as they walked to the checkout desk, the 11 year old glaring a hole into the back of his sister's head. Once they reached the desk, Carol handed the hair care product to the cashier. "So, did you think of anything you could do to make it up to the girl you've been lying to?" The teen spoke, watching her brother from the corner of her eye.

Conner shook his head. "Carol, we've been so wrapped up in trying to make me look less like a copycat for the past 2 hours. I didn't even have time to think about Cristina..."

"Don't lie Conner. I saw the sad gaze you kept giving the floor when I was picking stuff out for you."

The 11 year old frowned. "I was sad because _I can't think of anything!_ I mean, what am I supposed to do? Just show up to her house and say I'm sorry? If I do that, then her parents might kill me, and half the school still thinks she's dating Lincoln..."

"True, but in cases like these," Carol thanked the cashier before they strolled out of the store. "It's best to make a big statement to set the record. Your class may think she's dating Lincoln, but when you come in and sweep her off her feet, that should put any of those dumb rumors to rest."

Conner furrowed his brows. "This isn't like Romeo and Juilet Carol, and I doubt it'll be that easy..."

"That's because you're not being imaginative bro. You got over $300 from that boy you made a deal with, so use it." Looking up, Carol followed the signs for the nearest restroom. "Now, let's make your hair natural again."

The 11 year old's eyes widened up. "Wait, _now?!_ "

"Well, I'm definitely not waiting til we get home for you to do something stupid again, so come on." Carol spoke with an authoritative tone before dragging her brother into the nearest family restroom.

Conner swiveled his head around, hoping no one would take notice of this embarrassing endeavor. Not a soul was batting an eye at the two kids, and while he was glancing around, the 11 year old paused once he took notice of a flower stand sitting in between all the outlet stores. Conner stood still, staring at the little shop; the gears in his brain turned as an idea was being produced. Unfortunately, his train of thought was derailed hard as Carol yanked him into the restroom.

Once inside, the teen locked the door so they wouldn't be disturbed. Thankfully, the bathroom was recently clean, given that the smell of Clorox bleach was still present. Having Conner sit on the closed toilet, Carol turned on the sink and squirted some of the shampoo into her hand. Once it was lathered up nicely, she doused Conner's hair with water before roughly digging the contents into his follicles.

The 11 year old yelped in pain as a hard tug pulled up some hair. "Ow!"

"Stop moving so much!"

"It feels like you're ripping out my hair!"

"I have to get it all the way to the scalp, and you have _a lot_ of hair I need to sort through."

The Pingrey boy winced as he felt more hair being roughly handled, his head being pulled so subtly in random directions. "Could you at least take it easy? Please?" He begged.

"Just be a man and suck it up. You'll need it later." Carol grinned as she put more shampoo in her palms and did the process all over again.

Conner gripped the edges of the seat, biting his lower lip in frustration as his scalp felt like it was on fire from the rough treatment. While he couldn't see it, Carol began to notice the white follicles returning to their natural, pallish yellow. She started to ease up a bit and gently massage the shampoo onto his head, much to Conner's pleasure. The teen ran her nails in straight lines, stretching out her brother's hair a little before running a finger in the strands to get some of the hair product in between the gaps. After a few more minutes, Conner's hair was a mix of yellow and white foam. Feeling she was done, Carol got him up and had washed his hair down over the sink. When finished, the boy's hair was soaked to the point Conner's bangs covered his face.

The teen grabbed a paper towel and started drying his head. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" She spoke in a teasing tone.

"I'm never hiring you as my hair dresser..." The statement may have sounded harsh, but Conner's tone implied otherwise. Once Carol was finished, the former silver-haired child was glad to see his usual light blonde hair again.

"You were saying, dear brother?" The older blonde spoke sweetly, leaning down behind his reflection so her head was level with his.

Conner glanced down at the sink. "Thanks..."

Carol gave a wide smirk. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

The boy looked back up, staring at Carol through the mirror. "I said, thanks for helping me. You didn't have to do all of this, you know."

"I didn't." Carol straighted herself. "But I wouldn't be a good older sister if I let you do this yourself. So," She folded her arms. "What are you going to do about your _other_ problem?"

Conner gave a knowing smile as his thought train came back to him. "Girls like flowers, right?"

* * *

A few hours later, Lisa walked into the house with a content smile on her face. She would've arrived much sooner if she was at the local college today, but instead, the prodigy had visited some colleagues of hers at a science institute an hour away from the house. Her smile faltered a bit as she looked around. Being the smartest person in the family was both a blessing and a curse, she'd often say. Just about every time she got home from work or just being out somewhere, one of her siblings or parents would request her aid for something trivial. Sometimes, they'd even call her if they were impatient or desperate. As she walked through the house, the living room and dining rooms were vacant, and she couldn't hear any noise in the kitchen.

 _"My siblings must be upstairs then."_ Lisa noted inwardly.

Walking up the steps, her incredible mind ran a list of simple questions she'd be asked on a daily basis: 'Can you help me with my homework?' 'I need help with conversions sweetie.' 'Do you think this color works with this?' To be fair, that last question was something Lola once asked Lisa, which caused the 4 year old to facepalm and direct her to Leni. For once, Lisa wished her family actually came to her with some _real_ problems, something a genius like her would be of immediate help and find challenging. Sadly, such moments were few and far between. While she wouldn't say it out loud, Lisa did hate it when her family appeared to be too lazy to do simple things.

Once she got up the stairs, Lisa turned towards her and Lily's room. One of her sisters must've heard her tiny steps, because right as she opened her door, Lisa heard another one swinging open.

"Hey Lisa, I need your help."

The young brunette rolled her eyes. _"Shocker..."_ She sighed mentally. Looking to her right, "What is it, Lynn?"

The 13 year old took a few steps towards Lisa and pulled out her phone, scrolling through something. Once it was ready, she showed the screen to the little girl. "Do these pictures look right to you?"

Lisa gave a frustrated groan. "Do I really have to answer this for you-" She stopped after taking a good look at the photo. "Wait a second..." The prodigy narrowed her eyes, taking the phone from Lynn's grasp. The 4 year old thumbed through a few more pictures on the phone, not believing what they were showing. "These can't _possibly_ be real. Our sole brother hasn't made any mention of Cristina since the video contest he took part in 6 months ago. Not only that, he's gotten close to Ronnie Anne if we're to believe his and Lori's statements." Lisa returned her attention back to the jock. "How did you get these?"

"Someone sent them to everyone in Lincoln's class." Lynn folded her arms. "Practically half the school thinks he's dating Cristina now, or think he's been cheating on her with Ronnie Anne, and vice versa. But I can tell you without a doubt that whoever that guy is in those pictures, definitely isn't Lincoln. I was with him, Ronnie Anne, and his other friends when it happened. I mean, just look at the way he's dressed!" She gestured back to her phone.

Lisa rubbed her chin as she scanned the device again. "One, it sounds like your meeting with our brother went well. And frankly, I'm surprised you managed to catch those minute details, but it does give a good indication that these pictures were doctored."

"Not only that, I saw someone who looked _just like_ Lincoln in the halls. I tried to grab him, but..." Lynn turned her heated gaze at the floor, eyebrows becoming increasingly v-shaped. "I lost him in the stupid library..." She redirected her attention towards her sister, he look softening a little. "Think you can figure out who took those?"

Lisa hummed, scratching her chin as she noticed a few other details that seemed off. "I can, but it's going to take some time. You see, this isn't your typical staged photo. From what I'm seeing here, these pictures appear to have been altered using the popular Adobe app known as Photoshop."

"Photoshop?" Lynn repeated. She was silent for a moment, seeing how it was all starting to add up. She brought a hand to her hip. "Huh...I guess that explains why it looks a lot like Lincoln's face on there. But it has to have been someone in the school. That guy in those pictures definitely goes there, but just cropped his face out. He probably wasn't working alone either."

"I can check the database for any use of the app within the last few days, seeing as these pictures are still fresh." Lisa walked into her room, heading for her computer. "All of the systems in your school are linked to a main server that tracks everything, so it shouldn't be too hard finding what I need. I've even hacked into the system once as a favor for Lola."

The jock snorted a little. "What did you do? Change her grade?"

"Negative." Lisa replied as she booted up her system. "She wanted me to change _someone else'_ _s_ grade so she could get a leg up on a competitor for one of her pageants."

A smirk formed on Lynn's face. "Buuuut...you could change _our_ grades if we asked, right?" The 13 year old spoke in an overly sweet tone.

"I could, but you wouldn't learn anything. Plus, our parents would metaphorically murder me and another sibling if word got out."

Lynn shrugged. "It was worth a shot." She leaned on the back of Lisa's chair. "So, how long with this take."

"At best," Lisa started as she typed, "A few hours. At most, a day or two."

Lynn's shoulders sank, her lips curled down as she threw her hands up in frustration. " _A whole day?!_ Can't this go any faster?! The longer this jerk is running around, the more he's hurting our bro's rep!"

"Lynn..." Lisa spun the seat around until she was facing her sister, "You can't rush something delicate like this. I'm sorry, but that's the best I can give you." She spun back to the computer. "I'll let you know what I find."

The jock breathed out through her nose. "Fine...just give me something to work with..." Lynn turned and exited the room, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

"This place is _amazing._ I wish we could come here every day." Ronnie Anne spoke in delight as she glanced around at all the games.

"I still can't believe your parents actually agreed to let us come here. By ourselves." Lincoln replied, a tinge of nervousness hanging in his voice.

Indeed, both kids were surprised that Maria and Marcus so readily accepted to take them to Jillian's. Lincoln was quaking on the spot when he popped the question to them. Even though Ronnie Anne held his hand as a means of assurance, it only did so much. Maybe it might have been that the adults saw Lincoln more as one of their own after being with them for over 14 days. Or, it might have been because the two adults were looking for an excuse to have the house to themselves. Ronnie Anne had to resist the urge to puke during the ride over, with Lincoln giving looks of disgust in agreement. The tomboy was giving dry heaves once they finally got to the restaurant/mega arcade, having to lean against the wall to ease herself. Fortunately, she didn't need to vomit, but her appetite was ruined for a bit.

As far as attire went, the kids didn't dress fancy or anything, still wearing their usual clothing. However, Ronnie Anne was without her hoodie, having a purple t-shirt on instead. Lincoln made a subtle joke about it, though the tomboy was quick to point out the hypocrisy with the boy's orange polos.

"Who cares about that? They said 'yes', so that's all that matters." Ronalda shoved her hands into her pockets. "Soooooo, what do you want to do first?"

A small laugh escaped him. "I should be asking you that. This is supposed to be a date after all." Lincoln half-joked.

"Such a gentleman." Ronnie Anne replied in a faux English accent. "But seriously, first time being here, and I have absolutely _no_ idea what we're dealing with. By default, that makes you the expert, Lam-" She paused, drawing confusion from the boy. "I mean, Lincoln."

Lincoln stayed silent for a moment, his lips curling into a little smile as he figured out what she was trying to do. "You know, you don't have to stop calling me Lame-O."

"I could, but..." Ronalda stared off into space. Background noise filled the silence between them before she locked eyes with him again. "You aren't exactly lame anymore in my book. Plus, I thought you'd get annoyed by it over time..."

"Well..." Lincoln scratched his head. "It'd be a lie if I said I wasn't annoyed when you called me that several months ago, where we barely knew each other." The boy gave her a reassuring smile. "But you could say it grew on me. Lori calls me 'twerp' sometimes without any meanness to it, and Lynn..." Lincoln's smile faltered a little. "Lynn occasionally jokes about the name, but she doesn't mean anything by it. You didn't, right?"

Ronalda shook her head. "No. I guess you're right. Maybe I'm overthinking things."

"Out of curiosity though...is there another nickname you would use?"

Ronnie Anne purses her lips as she looked up at the ceiling. She hummed as she tried to think up a punny nickname, or at least something that sounded hilarious. Thinking about her older brother and Lori, Roberto's officials nickname was 'boo boo bear', which in all honesty made Ronalda visibly cringe. She'd definitely never call Lincoln that. However, she did know that a few of Lincoln's sisters tend to call him 'Linky'. A smirk took form on Ronnie Anne's face as her brain mixed the two names together into something both hilarious and embarrassing.

"Linky Poo."

Lincoln, who had been gazing around and trying to decide what games they could play first, turned his head back to her. "Huh?"

"Your new nickname is gonna be Linky. Poo." The Hispanic girl lightly tapped his nose at the last two words.

The look on Lincoln's face spoke volumes; his eyes were dinner plate sized and his cheeks heated up once he fully registered the name. "W-Why that one?"

"Because of the look on your face." Ronalda covered her hand to stifle her laughter.

The boy gave a nervous laugh. "W-Well, at least you're smiling again."

"True. So," Ronalda put an arm around Lincoln's shoulder. "Decide on anything yet."

"I have a few in mind...babe." The boy replied with a smirk.

The tomboy lightly pinched his cheek. "Can't steal any of Bobby's lines, Linky."

The couple set about playing as many games as they could until they would either run out of credits or experience the first pangs of hunger. Lincoln didn't know how much everything would be, but he was fairly confident that he had enough cash saved up. For a long time, he kept a secret stash of money hidden under a hollowed out piece of the floor. Call him paranoid, but in a family like his where money can be scarce at times, it's best to have a secret hideaway in the event someone tries to snoop around for cash. While he disliked use of the word, Lincoln felt he was lucky that no one in his family discovered it; especially when they were selling and packing his stuff.

After mentally exhausting themselves playing 15 different games, the duo finally sat down at a small, round table for dinner. When Ronalda asked about how they were gonna pay for their meal, Lincoln naturally stated he had it covered; he also added she could get anything she wanted. Ronnie Anne was still a little concerned, cause it wasn't like they were teens with part-time jobs. Still, Lincoln's enthusiasm convinced her enough to ease her worries.

"So, what are you gonna eat?" Lincoln asked as he looked through his menu.

"Mmmm...I'll think I'll get a Caeser Salad. I had one before, so I'm hoping that this place makes it good. You?" Ronalda asked whilst flipping to the back of the menu.

"Last time I was here, I had burger since it was lunch time. This time however..." Lincoln hummed whilst shifting through the many food options. "I may try this pasta."

Ronnie Anne raised an eyebrow before Lincoln showed her the picture. It was a linguini pasta with shrimp and steak whilst covered in lobster sauce. The tomboy felt her mouth watering a bit just staring at it. "That...looks _really_ good. However, that might make you too full for dessert." She gave a grin before showing Lincoln the page she was looking at.

On the dessert menu, there were several good choices for after-dinner treats, but one stood out among the rest. It was called a Brooki Tower: it was nearly a foot tall with hardened cookies and ice cream arranged in a shish kabob pattern, topped with whip cream, caramel, and fudge lining. Being part chocoholic like his sisters, Lincoln instantly knew what he wanted afterwards.

"Good point..." Lincoln darted his eyes back to his menu. "It says there's a half-plate option, so I'll get that."

A minute later, a waitress came by and took their orders. The two kids chatted idly about the games they played, tossing bragging rights here and there due to beating each other at least 3 times, and even sharing a laugh because on more than one game, the matcy ended with a tie between them. Fifteen minutes passed before their food arrived. Ronalda was rather surprised; her salad was much bigger than she expected. Lincoln was pretty sure he ordered the half-plate, yet the dish sitting in front of him was practically full-sized.

"Guess both of us have to make room for dessert." Lincoln chuckled.

"If not, I'll probably have to fire one out soon after. That'll make enough room." Ronalda joked.

The two shared another laugh before they started eating. Upon the first bite, both kids felt as if a peace of heaven was sitting in their mouths. They chewed slowly to savor the taste, then outright digging in once the wave of bliss had worn off. While they ate, Lincoln gave a few glances at his girlfriend. He was happy that she was content, though there was one thing he always wondered about Ronnie Anne. It was almost hard to believe that under that hard, brash nature sat a sweet and compassionate soul. Granted, there was still bits of Ronalda's tomboyish nature, but that just made him like her even more.

"Hey Ronnie Anne."

The Hispanic girl stopped her chewing and raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend. "Hmm?"

"Were you always this nice? I don't mean anything bad about it, it's just..." Lincoln paused, topping his fork on the plate. "For the longest I've known you, you've been known as the toughest girl in our grade. You had a fierce reputation even before we actually met in person, and I wouldn't even think about crossing you. At least until you started being 'affectionate' towards me."

Both kids giggled a bit.

"But I gotta know: how did you end up being the most feared girl in 5th grade?"

Ronalda sat her fork down, giving a blank stare at her half-eaten salad. "Truth to be told, you're right; I wasn't always considered the Queen of Pain." She stirred a few pieces of lettuce around. "Back when I was in 3rd grade, I had just started attending the school we go to now. My family had moved recently, and I had kept to myself mostly. For the first half of the year, I was mostly shy and upset about the move since I had left several of my friends behind. I couldn't even keep in contact with them since I didn't have a phone or computer, and they probably moved away to some other places by then."

"Where was your old home?" Lincoln asked before taking another bite of his pasta.

Ronalda shrugged. "Some town in lower Michigan. I forgot the name of it. Anyway, since I had been keeping quiet, no one really noticed me or wanted to talk to me; that suited me just fine. But, a few people decided to get to know me since I was alone." Her lips curled downwards into a frown. "And to be honest...I did feel lonely, and I had been that way since I started school. I'm still friends with them even today because they were nicest people I met at the time. Like I said before, I was shy, but I was overall a nice person. But, for better or less, my 3rd grade year was still pretty boring. Then..." The tomboy furrowed her brows. "Fourth grade was just...bad..."

Lincoln raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"For one reason or another...I found myself dealing with these two bullies. And before you say anything, yes, I used to be bullied." Lincoln didn't say anything, though his eyes opened up with interest. Ronalda took another bite of her salad before continuing. "There were these two girls that thought they owned the school or whatever, particularly because one of them was the daughter of someone on the School Board Committee and another was very popular. They weren't these big, fat girls either. They were preppy, about my height, and had your skin tone."

Subconsciously, the tomboy started gripping her utensil tighter. "I didn't do anything to them, but they targeted me specifically." Judging by the ever increasing amount of venom in her tone, Lincoln was certain Ronnie Anne was either going to fly into a rant, or throw something. "Maybe it was because I was pretty reserved and not exactly outgoing, or because I wasn't in some stupid social circle, but these two girls picked at me for _everything._ They made fun of me for me looks, my teeth, the fact I had little friends, my hair-"

"Your hair?"

Ronalda's cheeks heated up to a faint red as she averted eye contact. "I used to have pigtails back then..."

"Pigtails?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'd rather not talk about that..." The tomboy took a sip of her soda. "I told my parents and teachers about it, and all they said was to just ignore them." Ronnie Anne leaned on the table, giving a groan in frustration. "A lot of good that did, because soon the teasing became physical. I was tripped in the hall, had my hair pulled, had several pranks pulled on me that made me the laughing stock of our grade, and on some days..." Ronnie Anne paused again. Her lips thinned until her pearly whites were shown grinding against each other. "They'd beat me up after school..." Her voice broken, a mix of anger and sadness.

Lincoln frowned, scooting his chair closer to her in case she began to cry. When he spotted her eyes becoming faintly wet, the boy wrapped an arm around her. Ronnie Anne stared at her food for what seemed like hours, the music of the games and TV occupying the void.

The tomboy took a deep breath, steeling her nerves. "I tried to get the teachers involved since fighting on school grounds was forbidden, but they didn't seem to do anything. I would've told my parents, but I doubt they'd help. So..." Ronalda leaned back in the chair. "One day when they were doing their usual teasing, the moment one of them smacked the back of my head...I just went ballistic."

Lincoln bit his lower lip, getting a vivid picture in his head. "Was...was it similar to what I did to Chandler?"

"I...I guess? I honestly couldn't tell you Lincoln." Ronalda looked towards him. "My blood felt like it was on fire, my face was probably extremely red, and I swore I lost my sight for a bit. The only thing I was certain about, was that I was so angry at them doing all those things to me that I just...lashed out." She put a hand to her head. "I had no idea what was going on or what I was doing. My body was acting on its own, like I was just lost in the moment, you know? When I finally did realize what was happening, both girls were on the floor covered in bruises with some teeth missing, and more importantly, they were knocked out. Not only that, half the school saw it, _AND_ it was recorded."

Lincoln winced, sucking in air through his teeth. "You got suspended for that, right? I remember hearing about that fight from my other classmates back then."

Ronalda nodded. "My parents were angry at me until I told them why I did it. The parent of one of the girls who was part of the School Board wanted me expelled, but once word got out of the constant bullying they had been doing, they threatened to fire her. The other girl was pretty much scolded and basically told 'she got what she deserved'. Still, I wasn't allowed in school for a few days, but when I came back..." The Hispanic girl gave a faint smile. "Everyone was treating with respect, or fear. Most just didn't want to do anything that would make me angry, and it'd be a lie if I said it didn't go to my head."

Lincoln snorted a little. "It sure did. So I'm guessing you changed your hair style, clothes, and started living up to the name?"

Ronnie Anne's smile grew. "Yeah. It just felt _that_ good not being pushed around for once. Though..." Her smile faltered as she gazed at her meal. "I guess I got too carried away, seeing that I ended up becoming a bully to you..."

Lincokn frowned. "Ronalda...I already forgave you for that. You said it yourself: you didn't know any better way to show your feelings, so you just did it with what you knew best at the time."

"Excuse me, are you two still eating?" The waitress asked as she came by.

"Yeah, were still working on it." Lincoln replied. Once the server walked away, "And I think I know what happened when you started fighting. As Lisa might say, you blacked out because you went blind with rage. I guess that's why you can't remember that fight."

"Mmmm..." Ronalda scooped up what was left of her salad and started chewing on it. "Well, now you know. It's also why it was easy for me to 'get' your problem when you showed up at my house the first night. Push someone's buttons repeatedly, and you'll end up picking your teeth off the floor...then, everyone else will eventually find out and know not to get on your bad side."

"Yeah..." Lincoln scooted back over to his dinner, eating up what was left in spite of it being lukewarm now. "With your reputation, I kinda did expect the worst from you, like constantly stuffing my pants with food and pranking me as 'fun'."

Ronnie Anne pursed her lips, her body sulking slightly in guilt. "Of course I would make you think that..."

"But, I grew to learn to see a better side of you. A much, sweeter side." Lincoln replied, earning a smile from his girlfriend.

"So, you wouldn't mind if I pantsed you every once in a while?" The Hispanic girl joked.

"Depends on whether it's out in public." Lincoln snorted.

"Hah hah. Ok, my turn to ask a deep question." Ronalda stated, to which Lincoln raised a brow. "Given how bad you and Lynn fought before, has it ever crossed your mind that you wanted to do that to one of your other sisters in the past?..."

Lincoln sat there with food in his mouth, mulling over a response. He swallowed his meal before leaning back in the chair. "Truth to be told, and regrettably...it has, but not to _that_ level..." He set his fork down in the now empty plate. "I fight with my sisters a lot, and usually it leads to a small scuffle. Sure, we'll bruise each other here and there with some scratches at best. At worst, it's a black eye. But, there have been times where Lori's constant bossiness made me want to just teach her a lesson about always trying to walk over her own siblings. Luan's constant pranks made me want to break her nose sometimes, and on that one April Fools Day you came over, I had half a mind to do sowhile she was laughing at me." Lincoln let out a short laugh. "Then, you pied her in the face. As for Lola...I wouldn't necessarily hurt her, but I think a wedgie might be enough given how she acts sometimes."

Lincoln began to count off his fingers. "I have wanted to smash Luna's apms on more than one occasion because of the noise, I sometimes feel as if I might wind up accidentally hurting Lucy if she keeps sneaking up on me. With Lisa, I did feel on one instance of giving her a wedgie because she keeps trying to steal my organs..." Ronnie Anne gave a weary look. "Trust me, she says it's for science. She already removed my appendix. Lastly, I have thought to give Lana a good talking as to why certain bugs shouldn't be in the house, seeing that she brought bed bugs in once. But, as for Leni..." Lincoln paused, tapping his foot on the leg of the chair. "I couldn't exactly hurt her because...well...she doesn't mean to cause harm, but she doesn't think things through. I left Lily out for obvious reasons, and Lynn?" The white-headed boy gave a sigh. "We both know what happened with her..."

"You wouldn't actually do all of that stuff, right?" Ronalda asked.

Lincoln shook his head. "I may have the thoughts, but I wouldn't actually do that to them. I loved my sisters enough where I could just ignore all the spite. Plus, they'd likely castrate me..." Lincoln stared off at the crowds among the games. "It feels bad thinking about that since I learned to forgive most of my family at this point."

"Does that include Lynn?"

"..." He couldn't say. While Lincoln was edging towards forgiving his sporty sister due to seeing how apologetic she was, and he probably was going to before the whole 'cheater' debacle started, he wasn't to sure on where they stood in their relationship. After all that's happened, the sole Loud boy was certain their dynamic would never be the same. Perhaps he could talk with Lynn about it the next time they meet, if they could.

Seeing Lincoln lost in his thoughts, Ronalda decided to change the topic. The tomboy reached across the table and laid her hand on top of his. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. And speaking of which, think you got room for dessert?"

Lincoln gave a small nod. "Yeah, I got room."

The kids flagged down their server and ordered the infamous Brookie. When it got to the table, they stared at the treat, mouths agape, due to the size of it. It was definitely as big as the picture made it seem.

Lincoln gave a small chortle. "Well, that's definitely not gonna go down in one sitting."

Ronnie Anne grinned before grabbing one of the spoons. "That's why we agreed to share it Linky-Poo. Now, are you sure you can pay for all of this? I mean, I know you saved up your mone, but isn't this breaking your bank?"

"To be perfectly honest Nie Nie, it's worth it." Lincoln smiled warmly at Ronalda, who returned the gesture as her cheeks became a faint pink.

 **A/N: After a bit of hiatus due to life and working on my other two fics, this one is finally updated (after two months...). This chapter is the first time in which Lincoln and Ronnie Anne actually went on a real date. Some mistook their skatepark adventure as one, but it was a casual hang out with Ronalda it could've been a fun date.**

 **The idea behind Ronnie Anne's backstory was a request from TyeDye roughly a year ago when I asked about potential stories I could make once I finished one of the major ones. I told him that I would include in some form, like as a reference in a chapter since I didn't think it'd be long enough to make a full story (unless i decided to write the flashbacks). So Tye, this was my promise I gave you a year ago. Hope you liked it.**

 **Next chapter, we'll look into how everyone will set about dismembering Chandler's scheme. Since Conner is once again a blonde, and he's paying a flower shop a visit, the question is: will Cristina forgive him?**


	24. Tightening Our Bonds

**A/N: After taking some time to unwind and fix the mistakes that cropped up due to the whole 'cheater cheater pumpkin eater' incident at their school, Ronalda and Lincoln are ready to handle whatever crap their class gives them; at the same time, Conner is looking to make amends with a certain female redhead in a blouse. Could be problematic though, as doing his reveal to Cristina may make it obvious it was him if Lynn manages to catch wind. As of now, the only sisters who still haven't earned Lincoln's forgiveness are Lynn, Lori, and Lisa. With the last one, it could be obvious. With the other two...I have big plans for them, and it will involve some violence!**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

 _"Ugh! This is stupid!"_ Conner swore to himself as he stood timidly against the lockers that morning. He tapped his foot in an effort to keep his ever increasing anxiety at bay, but this did little to steel his nerves.

His arms were folded behind his back, holding a bouquet of yellow flowers and a box filled with chocolates. It was assumed that most girls liked flowers, and the Pingrey boy figured it'd be the best way to apologize to Cristina. The color, at Carol's suggestion, would imply Conner wanted to start over and hopefully rebuild their friendship. Conner would've picked red, but Carol's teasing made him reconsider; he really wanted her to just shut her mouth about it. Unfortunately, the teen also suggested that he grab some chocolates as a fail safe. And, being the dutiful meddling sister she was, Carol combed his hair before he left for school.

The 11 year old redid his due as soon as he got on the bus and out Carol's hawk-like sight. All he was doing was apologizing, not dressing to impress. Although, as Conner looked up at a mirror on the ceiling corner, he did look a bit handsome with the getup his sister picked out. It also helped hide his identity from anyone who might be trying to figure out who the phoney Lincoln was, as Conner learned in an unexpected encounter.

While he was walking the halls that morning, he came within sight of the same girl who chased him down yesterday. The boy grew extremely unnerved and tried to turn around, but that was next to impossible with several students blocking the way behind him. Lynn just gave him a passing glance before going on her way; that chance meeting may have only lasted a few seconds, but Conner was certain he'd meet his end right then and there.

A group of students walked passed the Pingrey child from his left, and it was then that he finally saw the girl he was looking for. His heart started to race as she approached, his palms becoming a little sweaty. This was it; no turning back now. Either Conner was about to make peace with Cristina, or cause even more public embarrassment for both of them.

Cristina grumbled to herself as she shuffled her way to her locker. Day 2 of the 'Lincstina' shenanigans was already off to a bad start. As soon as she got on the bus, her two friends asked if she knew her 'boyfriend' was hanging with Ronnie Anne. The redhead repeated the same thing she preached the day before as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. But like yesterday, her friends acted like walls of steel and ignored her facts. To make it even worse, one or two boys whose names escaped her tried to hit on her; they claimed they'd make better partners than Lincoln would, even though there was still some hesitation on their part given the beating the Loud gave to 5 boys the previous week. Naturally, Cristina just blew them off, though one snarky comment about how she 'won't resist him soon' left said smart mouth on the floor holding his groin.

School had an odd way of making your life a living hell, and Cristina just wanted this day to be over, even if she still had to wait 6 whole hours. Her mind sorted through a few people that drew her ire the most: she was still pissed that Chandler caused all the crap that was happening, she was still mad at Conner for being a dunce and following along with the idiot for some cash, and as a whole, much of her class for just being morons and sheep for not putting two and two together. It was like she was a lighthouse standing above a sea of idiots. And for whatever reason, it still hadn't clued people in that the redhead and Lincoln had no interaction yesterday and even this morning. As far as 'contact' would be concerned, she had spotted the white-haired boy with his friends by their lockers, and gave them a wide berth. Sadly, some just chalked it off as the two not wanting to show their relationship in public.

Wanna have another dose of irony? Cristina swore Lincoln and Ronnie Anne had a thing going on _before_ this shipping crap began. The Latina appeared to be pranking Lincoln like usual at times, but Cristina could see it more as teasing than an actual prank. Her suspicions were confirmed after seeing the two hold hands in the hall. And speaking of hand-holding, Cristina eyed where her locker was; possibly the last boy she wanted to see right now was standing there with something behind his back.

Conner and Cristina locked eyes, the boy's filled with nervousness as he started to shrink under the girl's heated glare. If he were to pay close attention, Conner would've noticed that Cristina's mean look softened slightly as she checked out his attire. She also noticed his hair was blonde now.

"H-Hi...what brings you here?" Conner asked once the redhead stopped a few feet away.

"You're in front of my locker..." The girl replied dryly. "So are you gonna move or what?"

Conner side-stepped to the righr. He dragged his foot on the floor as he tried to work up the nerve to say something with what little time he had. Cristina already put in her combination and was changing books, leaving him a window of 2 minutes.

"So..." He started.

"If you're trying to ask if we can hang out later, fat chance buster..." Cristina interrupted without even looked at him.

"I wasn't..." Conner paused. He took a deep breath, pushing his anxiety down long enough to say his piece. "I'm really sorry about getting you stuck in this mess...I don't know how I could make it up to you, or even apologize..." He brought one of his hands to his front. "But I'm hoping this is a start."

Cristina gave a side glance at the boy, turning to look at him fully when she noticed the bouquet of flowers he had. Yellow wasn't her favorite color, but she couldn't deny how beautiful they looked. That cute nervous smile and that rolls of sweat going down the sides of Conner's head made it quite clear to the girl that he was very sincere about trying to make amends. In a way, it warmed Cristina's heart that Conner actually had the courage to do this. Plus, it wasn't every day someone gave her flowers; something the other boys in the school never did that is. While she wouldn't say it out loud, he did look a bit cute being so nervous about how she'd react.

The redhead gingerly grabbed the bouquet from him and took a whiff. They smelt of cinnamon to her. "Well, it _IS_ a start." Cristina smiled at him, making Conner give a faint blush. The girl raised an eyebrow upon noticing a box behind his back. "Um, is that _chocolate_?" She giggled a bit.

Conner sighed, producing a gold, laminated box. "It was my _sister's_ idea, not mine."

Cristina removed the top just enough to peek inside, her eyes widening in surprise. There was a wide assortment of of chocolates in separate rows, from popular chocolate such as Hersheys and Recee's to more expensive treats like milk and white chocolate.

"How much was all of this?" The redhead asked, closing the box.

Conner shrugged. "About $100. Used some of the money a certain jerk gave me."

"Well," Cristina gave a low chuckle. "I was never one to turn down free chocolate."

"If you want it, you can take it." Conner shrugged, holding the box out. "I wasn't really planning on eating it."

The redhead calmly pushed it back to the Pingrey boy. "And I wasn't really planning on eating them by myself." She smiled at him. Conner gave a flustered smile of his own, even though he found it hard to look directly at Cristina. Quite a few students took notice of their interaction, sneaking in a few pictures to post online for later.

* * *

Lincoln tapped his pen on a notebook as Ms. Johnson carried on with her lecture for English. He stared at the notefilled pages without focus; only reason he had it open was to make it seem like he was paying attention. English wasn't a hard subject for the Loud, but it was hard for him to focus due to thoughts that had plagued him since the night before. Glossing over everything relating to his family, his thoughts always kept running towards his sports-obsessed sister, which in turn looped back towards how he had grown to love most of his family again. It was an endless cycle that kept feeding on itself, nearly driving Lincoln insane with how uncomfortable it made his stomach feel.

When it came to Lynn...it utterly baffled Lincoln how much she had changed over the course of 2 weeks. Before any of this started, his sister was just as pompous and bigoted as ever; she became even more aggressive and hard to deal with due to the whole 'luck' fad that had taken the family by storm. Then, after he finally had enough of being treated like an object and stood up for himself, Lincoln believed Lynn didn't care for him at all, especially with how she wished he wasn't her brother.

Then, that chance meeting last Monday was what started his shift in opinion towards the jock. Lynn was never one to show fear towards _anything_ , even if was clear something unnerved her. To see his sister looking so scared and defenseless...it made Lincoln feel as if he'd be a straight up bully if he carried out that promise he made to himself if they ever did meet again. The boy felt his stomach drop as he imagined himself beating the tar out of his sister while she was in her injured state, with Lynn screaming for mercy as Lincoln ignored her cries and continued releasing his anger into her.

Stray tears pooled on the corners of Lincoln's eyes before he wiped them away, trying to shake off those heartless images. Lincoln Loud was not a bully, and he never would be. He may go berserk when you pushed him hard enough, and some of the school still feared him because of this, yet he never took advantage of it despite having plenty of chances to do so.

Focusing back on Lynn, Lincoln recalled her speech yesterday. Seeing her break down while giving her apology further probed the brotherly feelings he had kept at bay when regarding the sporty Loud, with the added bonus of addressing a certain wariness Lincoln had whenever Lynn was angry. But the most important thing Lincoln got from that talk yesterday, was that he knew he still loved his sports obsessed sister, and that she still loved him.

When it came to the rest of his family, Lincoln had forgiven all but two. Lori had yet bring up anything but she was still trying, and surprisingly, Lincoln hadn't heard a peep from Lisa _at all_ since he ran from home. He didn't doubt she probably had something for him by now, but the lack of any form of contact was a bit depressing. He did feel some guilt about yelling at her for not helping him to a degree after all. But, after all things considered, Lincoln was considering whitewashing whatever misdeeds hisn3 sisters did and say 'Mama, I'm coming home!' He hasn't told anyone yet, but Lincoln had started to miss being at his own house for the past few days. He missed his room, he missed seeing his sisters on a daily basis (a feeling that grew each time they proved he really meant something to them), he missed his own parents...heck, he even missed Mr. Grouse yelling 'Louds! Turn off that racket!'.

Lincoln appreciated the Santiagos for giving him a place to stay in his time of need, as well as helping him sort out his feelings for his family. He could even say he'd probably call Mr. and Mrs. Santiago his godparents. But, as the days started to turn to weeks, it began to dawn on Lincoln that he couldn't stay there forever; after he cleared the air with his parents over the weekend, that feeling became much more persistent. Not only that, Leni sent Lincoln a few pictures last night to show him that the mattresses had arrived. The boy could only assume they were probably moving it and the other newly made furniture up to his room by now.

However, there was one important issue that prevented Lincoln from announcing his need to return home: the 11 year old still had to figure out where he and Lynn stood in their brother/sister spectrum. Whatever Lori and Lisa were doing had become an afterthought, as he figured he could fully make things right with them once he got home.

"Lincoln." The boy snapped his head up from his notebook to notice that most of the class was leaving the room to go to lunch. "I didn't think you'd be _that_ focused on my lecture." Agnes chuckled.

Lincoln frowned at his at desk. He could just roll with the assumption, but he also didn't want to lie to his teacher (again). "Actually...I wasn't really paying attention..."

Ms. Johnson raised a brow. "Really? Well, you certainly seemed to have something on your mind if you didn't notice your classmates leaving." She folded her arms. "Mind telling me what was distracting you?"

To Lincoln, that stern tone meant he would have to give a concrete answer if he wanted to avoid possible detention time. He gazed at the floor to avoid looking at his teacher, rubbing his thumbs together under the desk. "...You know when I said things were ok at home last week?"

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"I lied...I had a fight with one of my sisters 2 weeks ago, and we haven't spoken to each other until yesterday. I want to try and make things right between us, but..." The boy sighed. "I don't know how to approach her. I also think she might run away from me before I get a chance to talk..."

Ms. Johnson's gaze softened as it was apparent this issue wasn't a typical situation where she had to warn a student about being inattentive. "Which sister is it? I believe you said you had...7?"

"Ten. And it's Lynn."

"Lynn...Lynn..." The redhead tapped her chin to jog her memory. One that certainly came up was the family diorama project she assigned the students around the middle of the second quarter. "Oh, right. She's the one who does sports. I think I remember seeing her walking with a brace on her foot one day."

Lincoln gave a half-lidded glance to the side. "Yeah...I caused that..."

Given how Lincoln beat up 5 boys, that wasn't surprising in the slightest for the teacher. "I see." She walked over to the boy and sat on a desk adjacent to him. "Well, I don't have much experience with siblings since I was an only child growing up. But, if you two had _just_ talked to each other after so long, that has to mean something, right?"

Lincoln shook his head. "Doesn't feel like it." He finally worked up the nerve to look at his teacher. "She apologized for her part in our fight, but I never got a chance to say my half before something came up."

"Hmmm..." The woman rapped her fingers on her shoulder before setting her hands on the sides of the desk. "Not sure if this piece of advice will help, but best I can say is just to walk right up to her, give her a hug, tell her how sorry you are, and hope you two can work something out. At least, that's how us teachers hope our students try to solve conflicts instead of punching each other. And if you're afraid of scaring her, just try to be relaxed; don't look intimidating like some of these brutes that roam the halls." Agnes snorted a little. "I have a cat at home whose only 2 years old, and he gets antsy when he sees me stressed out. He won't even let me touch him until I've settled down. It's probably just a thing with animals, but if you're calm, I'm sure your sister will remain calm too."

Lincoln sat in silence for a few seconds. "That could help. The first time we actually saw each other after a week, I was still mad at her and she was pretty scared of me. Then yesterday, I was mostly calm, but she was still nervous."

" _Saw each other in a week_? Don't you two live in the same house?" Ms. Johnson asked.

Lincoln's eyes widened at his little mistake. "Uhhhhh..." A few beads of sweat formed at the corners of his head. An idea formed as he recalled a memory of one particularly annoying weekend involving a certain protocol. "M-My other sisters have this weird system called a Sibling Fight Protocol, a-and they pretty much kept us from seeing each other for a while. It was a pretty crazy week." The Loud gave a nervous, tooth-filled smile.

The older woman raised a brow at this. "...Welp," Ms. Johnson shrugged, not bothering to question it. "Girls will be girls I suppose. Now run along to lunch, it's nearly over."

Lincoln got up and quickly scooped up his books. "Thanks for the advice Ms. Johnson." The boy ran out the room, his tongue sticking out his mouth slightly as a look of determined formed. _"I gotta find Lynn and put an end to all of this..."_ Was the single thought that pushed him forward.

Elsewhere in the school, another redhead (this one male), was slouching in his seat with visible steam coming from the top of his dome. It seems like no matter what attempts Chandler does to make Lincoln's rep go down, be subjected to a beatdown (or bring any sort of harm to him), that Loud somehow manages to bounce back from it.

His plan to have Ronnie Anne turn on Lincoln fell through the cracks; the shipping arguments appeared to cause the boy some annoyance yesterday with all the questions flying in the air, but a recent post on another student's Tweeter page showed Cristina getting flowers from Conner. In turn, this caused the arguments to die down since the clueless populace finally realized that Lincoln and Cristina weren't going out. In fact, Ronnie Anne and 'Larry' looked just as calm and collected as any other day before those pictures even surfaced.

And where did this leave Chandler? Burning up in his seat as he was trying to figure out what to do.

 _"Great, now I have_ FOUR _people to avoid since that idiot blonde no doubt blabbed to Cristina to save his skin. Probably should've framed him up anyway just to make sure he couldn't trace it all to me..."_ Chandler rolled his shoulders as he continued thinking to himself. _"Eh, not like they'll figure it was me anyway. Those photos were WAY too convincing."_

A buzz from his phone distracted him once more, forcing Chandler to discreetly take it out of his pocket. He leaned forward a bit to make it seem like he was looking at his textbook, when he was actually looking at the screen under the desk. A few things popped up in his head:

1\. Chandler really needed to turn off notifications from Tweeter. The only reason he was getting them was because the class president thought it would be a good way for everyone to be connected; sharing the same page was a double-edged sword. It worked wonders for him, but from the other side...it was practically spam.

2\. He honestly wondered who was taking these pictures, and for what reason. Was there some weird stalker in the school taking photos of unsuspecting students? He may have taken photos of his lackey and Cristina, but he erased the pictures once he was done with them.

And as for 3...he was gonna do whatever it takes to wipe that smug smile off Lincoln's face. The latest picture shown had the aforementioned Loud along with his brute of a girlfriend laughing at what was clearly a cheap imitation of Chandler himself being put on by Rusty. The rest of Lincoln's dorky friends were in the shot as well.

The redhead furrowed his brows until they were knitted into a V-shape, his teeth clenched in irritation. A couple replacement teeth were visible, but a few holes remained. Clearly, being sneaky and subtle wasn't working. Heck, humiliating him in general wasn't going to cut it. When Chandler still had his own clique, things were going to go one or two ways if he wanted something and you refused: he either set you up for humiliation later on, or he'd just have his friends strongarm you into giving it up. And this was if Chandler couldn't use his own persuasion to make things quick and easy. Glancing over the rest of Lincoln's circle, as much as Chandler wished he could target them (especially Rusty), the redhead knew he would immediately be linked to it.

Tapping his finger, Chandler thought about how he managed to recruit Conner into his little scheme. He still had the rest of his allowance for the month, and he could get more money for good behavior in about 2 weeks. A significant monetary loss, but rebuildable. A wide smirk grew on the boy's face as a dangerous, yet simple plan formed in his head. "Ok, Larry. Since you _clearly_ don't mind me doing whatever I want to you, you're gonna eat those words." He muttered to himself.

But before he his plan could take off, Chandler had to figure out where he could find some hired muscle...

* * *

As soon as recess started, Lincoln quickly excused himself from his friends before they could ask any questions. Watching him heading to the gymnasium, it already clued into their minds that Lincoln was going to search for Lynn. After all (unknown to his 3 redhead friends), Lincoln did try to comfort the one sister he had the most issues with. Walking up to the gym doors, Lincoln peeked inside the window to see a whole class in the middle of running laps around the court. Whether they were 7th or 8th grade, Lincoln couldn't tell.

Scanning the bleachers, the Loud gave a sad sigh as he didn't spot Lynn sitting anywhere on them. He figured she wouldn't risk possibly breaking her foot shortly after it healed. Then again, Lynn also wasn't one to sit idly once an injury had disappeared. Looking around the room, Lincoln searched for any sign of his sister: red jersey, brown ponytail, freckled face, anything. As the seconds began to turn to minutes, the boy grew steadily more anxious.

"Lincoln." A monotonous, feminine voice spoke.

The 11 year old nearly jumped out of his skin, giving a small yell as he turned toward the intruder. "Oh, h-hey Lucy."

"What are you doing out here?"

"Not a lot of time before I gotta go to class, but do you know where Lynn might be? I _really_ need to talk to her."

"If you're thinking of looking in the gym, you won't find her there. She is currently suffering from the wrath that is math."

Lincoln groaned. He now knew what room she was in, but it was practically on the opposite side of the school; on the second floor no less. "Thanks." He was about to run off, but stopped short. "Wait. What are you doing out here? I thought sunshine wasn't your thing."

"Sigh. I _was_ in the library to focus, but the students were being too disruptive. Plus, my favorite spot in the vents was sealed due to maintenance. I'll just have to use the shade of a tree for now."

Lincoln nodded in understanding. "Thanks, sis." He opened the door and ran inside. While he didn't see it, Lucy gave a rare, warm smile at the last word her brother spoke.

Lincoln dashed through the gym and out the door before anyone else could notice him. The boy had to slow to a jog in the halls once he became wary of the possible presence of hall monitors. Still, he kept up a moderate pace so he could catch Lynn before she disappeared to who knows where. He wasn't willing to wait until the day was over before they could talk.

Unfortunately for Lincoln, one blind corner was all it took for him to crash into another student. The sudden collision knocked both boys to the ground.

"Ow! What the heck man?!" The other student yelled out in a daze.

"Oh, s-sorry!" Lincoln stammered out, rubbing his forehead a bit. He sincerely hoped he didn't run into hall monitor.

When both 11 year olds finally came to their senses and glanced at each other, a sense of familiarity came to them almost immediately. Lincoln took a second to study the blonde boy carefully. His clothes weren't any deadringers, but his face certainly was; memories of one particular incident at the grocery store came to the forefront of his mind. In fact, now that he thought about it, Lincoln visualized a white beanie sitting on the boy's head and instantly recognized him.

With Conner, it didn't take more than a few seconds to realize who he was dealing with.

"You?!" Lincoln and Conner shouted in both surprise and irritation.

"You're that guy who almost got away with my cereal that one time!" The Loud pointed accusingly.

Conner knitted his brows. "You mean _my_ cereal? I had dibs on it first, and dibs make up 9/10ths of the law." The Pingrey boy claimed in a know-it-all tone. "And thanks to _you_ ," Conner jabbed his finger in Lincoln's direction. "I got grounded for a week, and couldn't go to the closest store to my house for 2 whole months!"

Lincoln opened his mouth to make a snarky comment, but he shut his trap when he took a moment to reconsider his attitude. When you thought about it, Conner did get the short end of the stick that day. Lincoln and his sisters may have been banned from the store, and Rita initially thought Lincoln was largely at fault, but the boy still got what he wanted thanks to the same girls who got them all banned. All Conner got was a lousy punishment for something he _technically_ touched first; but to be fair, he still did a bit of damage to the store trying to get Lincoln off his back.

Seeing that Lincoln wasn't going to say anything, Conner got up and brushed past him. "I hope it was worth it..."

"It really wasn't..." Lincoln finally spoke as he got to his feet. Conner paused mid-step, partially turning his head around as Lincoln turned towards him. "I'm sorry about getting you banned that day, I was just _really_ tired from having to keep my sisters in check." The Loud frowned a little. "We still ended up being banned because they thought they deserved a treat and started fighting about it, even though all they did was make a mess in the store. Plus, the kinda let me get in trouble with mom, even though it was mostly their fault..."

Conner's gazed softened up, acknowledging the floor for a moment. "Annoying sisters huh?" Lincoln nodded. The blonde twisted his body around to fully face the other boy. "Well...I guess can't really hold that against you. I have two of them. Plus, I kinda forgot about the whole 'store thing' until you brought it up." The Pingrey child chuckled a little. It was a half-truth though, since seeing Lincoln in the school daily reminded him of that issue with the store.

"You're lucky in that case. I have _ten_." Lincoln laughed a little.

Conner's eyes widened a bit. "Ten? I thought you had only 3!"

Lincoln shook his head. "Nope. Flat 10. Got five older and five younger, and I'm stuck in the middle."

"Like Malcolm?" The blonde smirked.

The two boys shared a short laugh. When they thought about it, both of them realized it was a little silly crying over spilled milk. Outside of that one chance meeting at the store, it wasn't like they had some sort of intense rivalry going on; Lincoln admitting his fault helped break the ice immensely, and already, they were starting to bond over how annoying sisters can be.

"So, what's your name?" Lincoln asked.

"Conner." He extended his hand. "Conner Pingrey."

"Pingrey…" Lincoln took the other boy's hand and shook it. He released him once another name came to mind. "Do you have a sister named Carol?"

"Yeah. Let me guess, you have a sister named Lori Loud?"

"Yeah. She often complained about how Carol was better than her. Though, I think they made up since I saw them together a few days ago."

"Really. With Carol, she didn't know why Lori hated her. I heard she's been hanging out with her over the weekend, so I guess they worked something out."

"Speaking of which..." Lincoln glanced at a nearby clock. "I still gotta clear things up with my other sister." The Loud turned around and continued jogging down the hall. "See ya Conner!" He shouted over his shoulder.

The blonde gave a small wave, frowning slightly. "Guess Lincoln really was a nice guy...when he isn't trying hard to get a stupid box of cereal." He joked to himself to lighten the mood, only to frown even deeper right after. "Great...now I feel even more disgusted for working with that cheesy, smug-faced jerk..." Digging his hands in his pockets, Conner wheeled around to continue walking towards the lunchroom. Cristina wasn't going to eat that chocolate by herself.

* * *

"Hah...hah...really...shouldn't have ran...up those stairs..." Lincoln stopped to put a hand to the wall once he was within 10 feet of the classroom door, a few beads of sweat dripping down his head. He was rather surprised he didn't get a Charlie Horse running from one end of the school to the other, but once he got to those stairs...whatever energy he had immediately tanked until he was at his reserves.

Once the boy managed to regain a bit of his strength, he pushed himself off the wall, dragging his feet as he walked over to the door. Stealing a peek, Lincoln could see a woman in her mid 30s droning on about a math equation he couldn't make heads or tails of. Looking to his left, the Loud scanned the group of students. Most were either bored, sleeping, or not paying attention in general. His eyes widened a little once he spotted Lynn. Unlike her peers, she seemed to be completely focused on everything being said, only taking her eyes away from the teacher to write something down.

Considering how much of a meathead the 13 year old could be, Lincoln didn't think Lynn would show much interest in academics (unless it directly affected her chances of being on a sports team). Given how often she had to turn to Lisa for tutoring on a certain subject, you could expect the child prodigy to he quizzing Lynn at least twice a week. But as far as Lincoln could remember, math wasn't something Lynn needed help with; seeing this side of her was proof of that.

 _BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!_

The ringing of the bell startled both Louds, Lincoln jumping away from the door and Lynn leaving a medium-sized line leading away from the last number she wrote.

"Ok class, we'll pick up where we left off tomorrow. Oh, and since _some_ of you like to sleep in my class, there will be a quiz on what we just learned." The teacher spoke in a harsh tone.

Most of the class groaned in agony, but Lynn just shrugged her shoulders and gathered her things. Lincoln stepped back and flushed himself against the lockers to avoid the oncoming horde of suffering 7th graders. Lynn was one of the last few students to walk out, and once she exited the room, Lincoln reached out and lightly touched her shoulder.

"Lynn..."

The brunette turned, flinching and nearly slamming into the wall when she locked eyes with her brother. "H-Hey Lincoln..."

"Look..." He rubbed one of his arms. "We need to talk...you got a sec?"

Lynn glanced around at the students passing them. "I have another class to go to..." She focused back on her brother, who was growing discouraged. "B-But it can wait. Do you need anything?"

Lincoln started to speak, but the background noise of the students suddenly made itself known. Furrowing his brows slightly, he grabbed Lynn's hand. "Let's go somewhere quieter."

Lynn nodded and let Lincoln drag her through the crowd. The boy took her to another stairwell, shutting the door shortly after to block out the noise. Letting go of Lynn's hand, Lincoln took a deep breath. "...About yesterday...I don't doubt any of the words you said Lynn. Like I was trying to say before, I had no idea that you were suffering like this as hard as everyone else was saying." His tone became somber, giving a sad gaze at the floor. "I first heard about it from Lucy the day after I ran away, but I was still too angry to care. I even promised myself that I'd..." Lincoln paused, biting his lower lip a little. "I told myself that I'd make you pay for what you did if we ever saw each other again, and when we finally did last Monday...seeing you with your crutches and foot cast, brace, thing..." The boy paused to compose himself. "I just couldn't do it..."

Lynn shifted her feet a little, lightly putting her books on the floor once it became unbearable to hold them. "I really thought you'd hurt me that day too...but why didn't you?"

"Because..." The boy locked his gaze onto his sister. "You were really scared of what I would do, like I was a bully or something. I literally had an imagination about it during class, and it wasn't pretty..." A small tear formed on the corner of Lincoln's eye. "I didn't want to do that to you...I k-know I can act like a monster when I'm really mad, but I couldn't hurt you knowing I'd be no better than a stupid bully..." The 11 year held his arm. "Until then, I thought you still hated me. I was hurting Lynn. A lot. I didn't like having to be your sparring partner or sports buddy all the time, but you still treated me like I was your brother."

Lincoln knitted his brows a bit. "Then, you got way too focused into all good luck and bad luck stuff, and like everyone else, you treated me like I was just some stupid charm and not someone you've lived with for. Eleven. Years..." The 5th grader balled up his hands a bit. "It was like everyone just suddenly forgot I was just a regular boy and not someone who could magically control what happens to someone else. Sometimes, I still can't believe our family can be so stupid. It was one thing to not take me along to events, but boarding up my room...locking me outside..." Lincoln's body shook a bit, making Lynn cautiously step backwards. "Selling my stuff...just what prompted you guys to do all of that?..."

Lincoln didn't yell like Lynn expected him to; his voice was nearly a whisper. "Then, you apologized for thinking I was bad luck, but still had the notion that I was without that stupid suit..." Lincoln sniffled a little, which clued Lynn to that the boy wasn't angry. He was just venting his frustration about the events that played out that week. "I asked myself whether you guys actually loved me at all when we got home from the beach that day, and held onto the notion that you still did since I had my room back." Lincoln paused for a moment, a dead silence filling the void in spite of the muffled footsteps just beyond the door. "But I had to keep wearing that suit again and again, until I just couldn't take it anymore..." A few tears slid down the sides of his face. "Being used like I was just an object didn't hurt as much as feeling like I wasn't loved in the first place. All of our happy moment felt like they didn't mean anything. I was angry Lynn...I really was...but it was just a front to hide how broken I really felt."

Lynn opened her mouth as if she was about to speak, but Lincoln continued. "When we bumped into each other that Monday, you reminded me a lot of how I felt that night I ran off. After that...I just didn't know what to think. Lori told me the same thing about you last week, and after yesterday...I realized you still loved me as a brother."

Lynn became concerned as she noticed more tears starting to leak from the boy's eyes. "I-I wanna come home Lynn...I really do...but I'm scared..." Lincoln brushed a finger under his eyes to wipe away his sadness, only for more water to replace the removed droplets. "I-I don't know what's gonna happen between us...I know that all the bad things won't go away, but I wish they would..."

Unable to stand there with her brother at the edge of letting his flood gates open, Lynn dared to close the distance and wrap her arms around his waist. Lincoln didn't hesitate to do the same, letting out another sniffle before pouring his sadness into her shoulder. As he spoke, his voice was very broken. "I-I'm sorry Lynn. I'm so sorry...I lied to our family, took advantage of everyone being stupid, and I ruined your foot! I-I didn't want to fight, but I was just so mad that...I just lost it..." Lynn placed a hand on his back, soothing him similar in a way he did with her. "...I'm sorry for letting my lie get that far...I've always had to go to everyone else's events for so long, that I barely had any time to myself and...I-I was just desperate!..."

Lynn was trying hard to keep herself from breaking down, small tears forming in her eyes. She knew that Lincoln wanted time to himself; heck, everyone in the family already knew that. But the jock was still hating herself for not giving a rat's ass about his feelings. Even more so, like she told him yesterday, he wouldn't have gotten the idea if she wasn't so sore about losing one game. "Lincoln..." Came her soft, almost motherly voice. The sporty Loud had to pause as the bell rang again. "You need to stop blaming yourself. Yeah, I know you wanted some alone time; who doesn't? But the main score here, is that I shouldn't have forced you to come to my game when you didn't want to..."

"B-But you were gonna hit me with a bat..." Lincoln meekly replied.

Lynn sighed. "I wasn't...and I shouldn't have done that. I just knew that I could scare you easily and figured it was the best way to get you to come. Now here we are, nearly 2 months after all of this started, and you're the one scaring me for a change." The jock gave a dry laugh. "Karma really got me there...I just wanted my favorite bro to come and support me, fully knowing he had been helping my other sisters during my other games, and what do I go and do?..." Lincoln didn't know whether that was a rhetorical question since Lynn temporarily stopped. "You were right about me being a sore loser. I take one little loss _horribly_ , blame my brother when he had nothing to do with it, and nearly lost what _really_ mattered."

Lynn brought her hands up to Lincoln's shoulders and pushed away slightly to study his face. His eyes were red and puffy with a trail of snot coming out of one nostril. She used her thumbs to wipe the tears away, even using a finger to get rid of the snot. She wiped her snot and tear riddled hand on her shirt. "Lincoln, I don't even know how I'm gonna make this up to you. I doubt I can even call myself a big sis if I can't protect you. Sure, I could scare off anyone who thinks about messing with you," Lynn glowered at the floor. "But I can't protect you from myself when I need to..." She looked at Lincoln with a determined look on her face. "However, I can still do what it takes to protect you from anyone else. I'm still trying to figure out who made these dumb pictures, and when I do, they're gonna rue the day they messed with the Louds."

The two siblings stood in silence for a moment. "You know that anger you used the first time we fought that day?" Lynn asked, to which Lincoln nodded. "You're strong enough to put me in a bind bro. So, if I end up going overboard with my ego, I want you to set me straight."

The 11 year old have an uneasy look. "Lynn, I don't...I don't think I could do that. I-I don't want to have anymore fights with you."

"You won't, you won't. At least...I hope so..." Lynn tried to assure him. "But, I just want someone to be able to keep me in check. You're stronger than you think Lincoln. Heck, you beat up five bullies without breaking a sweat for what they did to Lana. If I didn't get a cheap shot in, you probably would've won our fight too." The jock had an air of confidence with that remark, though this didn't improve Lincoln's overall mood by much.

Lynn didn't know what else she could say about the situation either, and given that both of them were late for class, they would have to separate. "Well...I gotta go to class. You do too, and if you wanna come home..." The brunette gave a weak smile. "Make it back safe ok?" Then, Lynn did something she hadn't done in years. She pressed her lips to Lincoln's forehead, leaving a faint kiss mark on the spot.

Lincoln was both surprised and a little embarrassed. The last time older sister gave him that kind of affection was before he stopped wearing diapers. Lynn collected her books before shoving the doors open, making a mad dash down the hall. Lincoln gave a little sigh, a smile working its way onto his face as he wiped away a stray tear. While he was still unsure of what would become of his and Lynn's relationship, it was without a doubt that she still loved him no matter what, and was practically hell bent on improving their dynamic. Making his way down the stairs, Lincoln could care less if he got in trouble for being late. He felt he had a major breakthrough with his sister, and his mind was beginning to plan his return back to the Loud House.

Unfortunately, what both Louds didn't know, was that Lynn's level of protection was going to be tested in a way that none of them could've imagined...

* * *

At the Loud House, one certain 4 year old genius was doing a great job exercising her fingers as she typed away on her keyboard. Being that it was one of her off days, Lisa had spent that morning doing what she wanted: lounging around, conducting some side experiments as she waited for her lunch to be finished cooking, and listening to some west coast rap when she was in the mood. It was very fortunate for her that she was the only one at the house besides the pets, as some of the lyrics contained swears that would make a sailor blush. She was still listening to said music as she began breaking into system of RWCS. The brunette would've done it yesterday, as in reality such as a task would only take her 30 minutes to get what she needed. But, laziness took priority, and Lisa told Lynn a day at most so the jock wouldn't bug her all night.

All it took was a few minutes for Lisa to get access into the system, sneaking in by using the administration code for one of the Computer Arts teachers. Once she had the main system up, she turned to another screen that was nothing but a command console. Swiftly stroking a few keys, a list of data popped up on the screen. Among that list showed the name and log information of the school's main Internet connection. The brunette took a sip from the bottle of water that was on her desk, plugging this info into another open window before selecting 'run'. Turning back to the first screen, Lisa hummed as the mouse arrow changed into a different shape, indicating her system was synced up with the school's internet. Lisa scrolled up to the Photoshop app and right-clicked on it. The command screen paused for a few seconds, then it became a large and extensive list of connections and accounts for students and teachers with the log in, duration, and log out time. The list seemed to go all the way back towards the beginning of the month; luckily for Lisa, she only needed to check a couple of days.

Glancing down at the desk, there was a lone sheet of paper that had the daily course schedules for the 5th grade class. Lisa bobbed her head a bit as she studied it. She chose that grade specifically as the photos had to come from someone within Lincoln's grade. It made little sense for someone younger or older to alter photos of a kid they barely knew. The usual classes were from nine to eleven with a break for lunch until one. From there, classes went on until school was over. Since there were only three 5th grade classes in that course, that made things easier for Lisa when it came to looking for references. Turning back to the screen, the little genius adjusted her glasses slightly as she slowly scrolled down the list. It was entirely possible for a student to have done their photo editing during class; but if the person wanted to be sneaky, they'd likely do it outside of normal class hours and away from prying eyes. And this was exactly what Lisa was going for first.

Slowly scrolling down the list, the 4 year old read each line carefully, keeping an eye on the log times and whether this action was from a student or teacher. Delving into yesterday's information, Lisa didn't find anything out of the ordinary; multiple students logged in at the same time and exiting out exactly around the time school ended. Curiously, there was one session that was logged in around 1 PM, but a quick check showed that this was a teacher's account. One little flick from her finger brought the list down a few.

Lisa raised an eyebrow. There was another session logged in at an unusual time, lunch period to be exact. And to make it even more interesting, the numbers of the session showed it lasted the entire period. Tapping her cheek, Lisa figured that would be a reasonable amount of time to do a face change with the app; this was also taking into account that the average 5th grader would have a difficult time just using Photoshop.

"This could just be a tutoring session, as it's not uncommon to have one during periods of down time. But, I'm going to check it anyway." Lisa muttered to herself.

Copying the account number, Lisa went into the internet browser to the school's main page. After plugging in the teacher's information, all she had to do was put in the account's info and she'd get her answer. What she found was surprising, and at the same time, not so much. The first thing she saw was a picture of a smug-looking redhead with the name next to the picture.

"Chandler Henderson. Roughly 4'11", red follicles, a nasty disposition, and was on the receiving end of a severe thrashing by my brother last week." Lisa monologued with a small scowl on her face.

Scrolling down the page, she found his class schedule. One of the classes listed was Computer Arts, but his class was the first one he had during the day. Pulling up his grades brought even more suspicion. "Hmm... a B average in that class. Doesn't make much sense for him to be doing any extra credit, since he clearly doesn't appear to be someone who'd strive for an A. Still, it could be a punishment assigned to him by his parental units..." Wheeling the chair over to the left, the 4 year old grabbed her phone. "But, that doesn't make him any less of a prime suspect. He could very well be sour a out having been subjected to such a harsh confrontation."

Going into her contacts, she was about to dial Lynn's number, but remembered she might be in class. So, she opted to leave a simple, short message.

 _[Made a discovery with the fabricated photos. I suggest asking Chandler Henderson some 'questions'.]_

By _questions_ , the 4 year old knew full well that Lynn was gonna charge him head on with both fists ready. Would be amusing to watch, but Lisa had other things to do than watch the kid get another dose of karma.

* * *

"So..." Ronnie Anne whispered, trying to make sure that Ms. Johnson doesn't see her talking. "How'd it go? You looked pretty happy when you walked in and..." She paused, noticing a faint spot on his forehead. Her eyes squinted in irritation. "Is that a kiss mark?..."

Lincoln widened his eyes a little, promptly licking his thumb and rubbing the mark off his head. "Let's just say, this whole thing made Lynn a lot less aggressive than she normally is."

Ronnie Anne didn't look too convinced. She gave a deadpanned stare at the boy. "You sure about that? She looked ready to floor me yesterday."

"She's just trying really hard to be a better sister. I mean...I did the same thing when Lana got hurt, and I said some pretty hurtful things to her."

The Latina gave a small nod before focusing back at the board. Since it was science, one of the few classes the two actually shared, all of the desks were pushed into groups of two to simulate a lab table. Plus, being close to the back of the room meant Ms. Johnson was likely to catch them talking; at the cost of it being a little hard to hear her at times. Before coming to class, Lincoln stopped by the bathroom to clean his face. He expected Ms. Johnson to reprimand him for being late, but she understood, given what they discussed earlier.

Four minutes went by before an uneasy feeling begin to build in swell in Ronnie Anne's chest. Knowing very well what it could be, she tapped her pen on her book in an effort to ignore it. Doing so just made that feeling grow stronger, and after a few minutes of trying and failing to pay attention to what Ms. Johnson was talking about, she gave up entirely. A sad gaze formed on Ronalda's face as she had a good idea about what this meant now. She always figured that Lincoln would have to go back home at some point, especially with his family trying so hard to earn his trust back. Ronnie Anne's trust for them had waned considerably the night she found Lincoln out on the streets, only to grow again when she saw proof that they really missed the sole boy of the house.

As happy as she was for Lincoln to renew the love he had for his family...she also didn't want to see him go...

There was one happy outcome Ronnie Anne would fully admit: she and Lincoln had gotten closer on a level both of them probably would've taken years to get to. She also learned that it wasn't so bad openly teasing the Loud with actual affection instead of playing friendly pranks on him. Well, she still pantsed him once during gym class, but it was to make him duck under an incoming dodgeball. A small grin temporarily took the place of the frown that was forming. As soon as Lincoln bent down to grab his waistline, Ronnie Anne caught the ball thrown at him before chucking it at Girl Jordan, knocking two people off the opposing team in a few seconds. Lincoln considered himself lucky that Ronalda hasn't uttered the new nickname she came up with, yet.

Hearing the seat next to him creak as her weight shifted, Lincoln glance aside to see the tomboy leaning forward with a downcast look on her face, a heavy sigh leaving through her nose. Being the good-natured person he was, he wanted to find out what was troubling her. However, seeing that Ms. Johnson was scanning over the class now as she continued with her lecture, he couldn't open his mouth. Lincoln tapped his finger on his desk for a second before an idea came to him. Finding a blank page on his notebook, he wrote a short message before tapping the tough girl. This way, they could talk to each other while also make it seem like they were taking notes.

The Loud tapped her shoulder, making Ronalda raise an eyebrow before Lincoln showed her the note. _'What's wrong?'_ It read.

As much as she wanted to tell him not to worry about it, the Latina knew she couldn't really hide anything from Lincoln at this point. Plus, she felt that if she didn't say anything, it would fester inside her until she became wound up and wanted to hit something. And Lincoln would likely pester her until she fessed up. Breathing in, Ronalda grabbed her pen and started writing.

 _'...I guess this means you'll be heading home soon?...'_

Lincoln read the note when she passed the book back. His eyes widened a little. _"Oh...right..."_ He thought to himself as he caught the vibe she was giving. Like Ronalda, Lincoln was aware they became much closer in the past two weeks. Occasionally, he slept in her bed when it became uncomfortable to sleep on the couch; this also involved waking up to find an arm wrapped over him like he was a teddy bear. Before he could let his thoughts run wild, Lincoln shook his head and started to write back.

 _'Yeah...but it's not like we can't visit each other, right? I'll still come over so we can hang out, or we can go to the arcade like we usually_ _do.'_

Pencil scribbles were heard between them as Ronnie Anne wrote. _'Well, yeah, but...what if we start getting away from each other?'_ Ronnie Anne paused. She crossed out the last five words and wrote 'growing distant' above them. _'_ _We weren't like we are now before this whole 'luck' thing start. And with you having stayed in my house for two whole weeks...I really like that feeling I get being around you Lincoln, and I really, REALLY don't want to lose it...'_

Butterflies filled Lincoln's heart as he read that note. There have been doubts in the past with Ronnie Anne actually liking him, but those doubts faded with time to produce statements like what he was reading right now. He wrote down his piece before passing it back to her. _'You won't, just like I won't. Sure, I'll be a short bike ride away like I used to, but my feelings for you won't change no matter how far away I am. Even if I have to move to another town, or state, or even halfway across the world...you'll still be in my heart.'_

Ronnie Anne felt her cheeks heating up as she read the note. She also couldn't help but give a small snort at the words before the end. While it sounded cheesy and cliche, it was rather poetic, and it helped instill confidence that Lincoln would do his best to remain as close to her as he could. Seconds later, she felt something warm resting on her hand. Looking up from the book, she found Lincoln's palm lying on top of it; one quick look to the left and she saw a pleasant smile that made her heart flutter a bit. Giving an equally warm smile in return, she turned her hand over so his palm was resting in her grasp.

Ronalda leaned over until her mouth was inches from his ear. "You're so cheesy, Lame-O." She let a small chuckle escape her.

Lincoln covered his mouth to hide his laughter. "What happened to the other nickname you had?" He whispered back.

"Oh, I'll still use it Linky. But you're still a Lame-O." Ronalda gave him a quick kiss to his cheek. " _My_ Lame-O that is."

Lincoln firmly held her hand after that, with the tomboy doing the same as they started to become lost in each other's eyes. Unfortunately, they were pulled back to reality as Ms. Johnson cleared her throat. The blood immediately rushed to the front of their faces at the notion of being caught.

"Lincoln. Ronnie Anne. If you both want to 'socialize', please wait until after school. You're going to be having a test on chemical reactions next week." Much of the class tried to suppress their giggles as Lincoln sulked in his seat like a turtle going into its shell, with Ronnie Anne giving a small groan as she pulled her hoodie over her head to hide her embarrassment.

* * *

With Lynn, the sporty Loud was running some laps with the rest of her class in the gymnasium. Ever since the brace came off, she hardly got back into doing any exercises; her depression being the main cause of her lack of energy. The jock even used the excuse that her foot still ached to avoid doing anything in gym, using that time to ponder her worth as a sister. But today, after having ironed some things out with Lincoln, Lynn felt as if she could run a marathon. In fact, she was overlapping most of the class; at least until her heel really started to ache again.

"Geez bro. I didn't think you could bite so hard..." Lynn muttered to herself as walked over to the bleachers, a small limp in her step. She sat in a seat next to her bag, twisting her foot in circles to try and ease the pain. It dulled after a few minutes, though it was still bothersome. Pulling her bag over, Lynn opened the biggest pocket in search of her pain pills. She had been taking them ever since she got the injury, decreasing the amount needed as the healing progressed.

The brunette furrowed her brows as she moved some of her books and clothes out the way. "Where is that stupid bottle?..."

When she moved her phone, it gave a small vibration, along with the blue light blinking in the top left corner. Raising an eyebrow, Lynn pulled it out and took it off standby. Once it was fully booted up, the sporty Loud saw that she got a text message from Lisa an hour ago. In the few seconds it took for her to read that message, it was as if someone had a dial in Lynn's emotional state and changed it every half second. At first, Lynn was shocked, until she remembered who the boy was. Once that was registered, the other emotions must've let Anger reach for the controls and start cranking it up. The jock's eye began to twitch as memories of what Chandler did in the past resurfaced, and from there, the bar on the anger chart just kept rising until Lynn's other emotions had to pull Anger off the controls, stopping the bar at 'hostile'.

"That scrawny little, smug-looking, ginger-faced, fucking piece of shit!" Lynn spoke through gritted teeth, her tone laced with acid as her volume increased with each word; all the way until it was loud enough for nearby students to hear. Steam was coming off the top of her head like she was a volcano that would erupt at any second.

Of course, it had to be _him._ The same freaking kid who took pleasure in pestering Lincoln about the suit at every turn, and later tried to physically bully him. Now, it seems that beatdown didn't get it through his thick head to not mess with the Loud anymore. The white-headed boy may not seem to care about being targeted (so long as his friends and family weren't in the crossfire), but that didn't mean his family wouldn't just sit there and let him take it. Lynn didn't know whether Chandler was a sadist or a masochist (yes, there's a difference), but one thing was certain: the morgue was going to have a new body to play with. And she was going to drag it to them _personally._

"You ok, Lynn?" Margo asked, having heard the other teen curse out loud.

Lynn cast a glare at her for asking such an obvious question. "No, and someone else won't be once I'm through with them..." She stood up, tossing her bag over her shoulder and started strolling out of the gym.

"Wait, where are you going? Class isn't over yet!"

"Tell it to someone who cares!" Lynn shouted before kicking the door open with her undamaged foot.

Truth to be told, there was only 20 minutes left in teaching before school ended. Unfortunately, that didn't give Lynn a lot of time to search the entire building before it was flooded with students. As soon as she stepped out the gym, Lynn began looking into each and every classroom on the first floor. One could argue this would've taken even more time since certain grades had a specific section of the school. However, all grades tend to use the same labs, computer areas, etc. And Lynn would be dammed of she failed a spot check. She was careful when checking room that held a class in them; she didn't want to get into trouble until _after_ she caught the little rat.

Her frustration grew the longer her prey eluded her, and by the time the final bell was about to ring, the jock was at her wits end.

"Grrrr...where the hell is he?!" Lynn growled as she pulled away from another door. That was the third 5th grade class she checked, and she still hadn't found Chandler. Stealing a glance at her phone, the time read 2 PM. Lynn's eyes widened as her pupils shrank. She took a deep breath, "FFFFFFF-"

 _BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!_

The bell drowned out Lynn's yell before the hallway came alive with students exiting the classrooms. The younger kids from the rooms she was next to were surprised to see the seething teen, giving her a wide berth should she lash out. Coincidentally, the room she hadn't checked on her left happened to contain Lincoln's class. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne came out after most of their class left, having gotten over their short wave of humiliation.

The Loud boy became startled upon noticing his sister, accidentally stumbling back into Ronnie Anne. The Latina caught him so she wouldn't end up wedged between him and a locker.

"Geez, careful Lincoln..." The tomboy groaned.

"S-Sorry." Lincoln quickly replied. He focused back on his sister. "Lynn? What are you doing here?"

Lynn didn't look at him, just giving a low growl as a reply.

Lincoln was about to back away and let her burn her anger off, but given what they talked about just hours ago, he felt he could get through to her. Putting his books in one hand, Lincoln calmly walked over to her.

"You sure that's a good idea Link? I'm pretty sure she's seeing red right now." Ronalda stated.

"Don't worry. After living in my house for so long, I know how to calm down each of my sisters if they are having a fit." A short recollection of past sibling fights went through his mind. "Well...most of the time."

"Most of the time?..." Ronalda replied, folding her arms as her face gave the impression she didn't really believe that.

Lincoln ignored that comment as he gently laid a hand on Lynn's shoulder. The jock flinched from the contact, but kept staring at the floor with a heated gaze. "Lynn, I know you're upset, but please calm down?" He said in a begging tone. "I'm sure whatever you're mad about can be fixed, right?"

Lynn took a few deep breaths through her nose, her steam leaking its way out until she was only irritable. "Hopefully..." Came her ominous reply.

"What's wrong?" Lincoln took his hand off her shoulder as she leaned back on the wall.

"Lisa found out who made those fake pictures." Lynn looked at both 11 year olds. "You guys remember Chandler?"

The expressions from both 5th graders made it pretty clear that they did. Lincoln pinched the bridge between his eyes in frustration while Ronalda furrowed her brows in anger.

"I should've known..." Lincoln groaned.

"You'd think after kicking his ass, he wouldn't try something so stupid." Ronnie Anne added.

"Which is why _I'm_ going to teach him a lesson..." Lynn fumed on the spot. "If I can find that little bastard first..."

The Hispanic girl gave a devious grin. "Why don't I show you where his locker is? I snuck a bunch of garbage into it last Tuesday."

"I'm still surprised this is the second time you managed to get away with that." Lincoln piped up.

Lynn gave a low chortle. "If you know where his locker is, we better find it before he manages to bounce."

"Oh. It's not far." Ronalda tucked her books under her arm and pushed herself off the lockers. "I needed to find out who started this 'whose dating who' crap anyway." She gave a casual glance to her boyfriend. "You want in on this Lincoln?"

Surprisingly, the Loud boy shook his head. "As much as I'd like to give him _another_ piece of my mind, I don't feel like dealing with him right now." He gave a stern look at the two girls. "Also, we're not allowed to fight in school, remember?"

Both of them gave the boy a half-lidded stare before unanimously saying, "Killjoy..."

Lincoln chuckled a little, a smirk taking shape on his face. "I'm not saying you _can't_ beat him up. Just, not here."

Lynn grinned. "Aaaaah, I get ya. But, are you sure you don't wanna get a swing in? This is your business too."

"Sorry Lynn, but I'll take a rain check on that." Lincoln waved, walking down the hall. "Have fun though!" He shouted as he got out of earshot.

Ronalda shrugged. "His loss then. Besides," She cracked her knuckles, giving a laugh that spoke of malicious intent, "Something like this could use a _lady's_ touch anyway." She started walking in the opposite direction Lincoln went.

Lynn chortled in agreement. "I like the way you think Santiago."

* * *

Unfortunately for the girls, they won't be able to find their target; he already left school grounds before the bell rang. Chandler wasn't stupid. He had an ego, sure, but he could tell when someone might be looking to fight him. Before, he wouldn't be too bothered if someone wanted things to get physical; he had a posse to back him up. Chandler himself wasn't much of a fighter, as him being held at bay by _Clyde_ of all people while Lincoln did most of the work served as a perfect example. Now, he had no allies; and while he was trying to avoid getting into a direct fight as much as possible, Chandler still had contend with the possibility of no less than four people out to get him.

So, what was a guy like him supposed to do in this situation? Hire someone (expendable) to do the dirty work for him. And more importantly, it had to be someone who doesn't give a shit about his current rep. The redhead figured he couldn't ask any of the school meatheads, as they'd either be disgusted by him or shove his head in a toilet; not to mention take his money too. So, Chandler figured he'd look around the school district, and outside of need be.

There were days he just took his bike to school, and this was a day where it came handy. Since leaving the school at 1:30, he had been biking around some well known places kids typically went to and sporting areas. He went to quite a few of sports areas in particular since he would need someone strong enough to have little difficulty putting Lincoln in his place.

"Geez, when you don't want some jerk jock around, they're right behind you. But when you're actually looking for them, they're nowhere to be found." Chandler groaned, his stomach growling a bit. "Annnd now I'm hungry..." Spotting a Burpin' Burger just up the street, he pedaled hard until he was right at the bike stand. Several other bikes were parked there as well, leaving little space to park his own.

Chaining it up, Chandler walked in and stood behind a few other people waiting to order. He rubbed his nose as he casually glanced around. Not many people were in here, likely since the lunch break ended for most adults and only a few schools ended around 2. However, there was a group of 6 boys chatting amongst themselves in one of the booths by the corner.

Raising a brow, the redhead got out of line to get a closer look. Glancing over one of the small transparent windows, Chandler could see a few bags splayed around their feet with baseball gear sticking out. On one of the bats, a stamp was visible that said, _Property of Hazeltuckey Middle School._

"Of course, it would be some morons from that area. How the heck did they even get allowed to play baseball? Those guys are better off with football..." Chandler muttered to himself.

He didn't know whether it was something in the water supply in that town, or the school coaches were using overaged kids in their sports teams. It just always seemed that whenever Royal Woods had a game against Hazeltuckey in _any_ sport, the opposition appeared to be nearly twice as big. One perfect example was that one peewee football game in the fall. The Royal Woods kids were practically shirmpy compared to the possibly middle school aged hockers. By comparison, Chandler would guess these baseballs players were about the same height as the 8th graders in his school, possibly taller. Relatively tame, but they definitely towered over the squirrels by half a foot with a few of them.

A devious grin formed on the redhead's face. _"They're perfect."_ Was the thought that ran through his head. While football players would've been a better pick, baseballers were still decently fast in his opinion. Plus, they had to have some strength in their arms if they wanted to score a homerun. Wasting no time, Chandler put on his trademark grin and moseyed on over to them.

"So, what are your bets on baseball for the rest of the season?" One of the boys said.

"Probably same as last year. We beat every team, until we meet those darn squirrels..." Another replied, shoving some fries in his mouth.

"You know Murray, it's only because they let their star player bat against you." A third teen replied.

Murray groaned. "Shut up Craig..."

"Don't get mad. I told you to throw a slider, not a curveball." Craig put up two fingers. "We've been over this before. Two is for curve, 3 is for a slider."

"I doubt it matters when it comes to playing against that girl." A fourth joined in. "I swear, she's so strong that my hands ached for _hours_ after hitting one of those fastballs she threw."

"Probably because you hit the ball near the narrow part where your hands are Pat. You gotta hit it with the fattest part so you don't feel it as much." A fifth teen spoke.

Pat rolled his eyes. 'I did Bob. There's a _dent_ in the bat to prove it..."

"Hello." Chandler spoke as he got within earshot. The who group regarded him with either indifference or annoyance.

"What do you want, runt?" Murray asked.

"How would you guys be interested in making some quick cash?" The redhead asked.

"Pff, what are we gonna get? $50 of some allowance?" Pat chuckled, taking a sip of his drink.

"Nah, it's probably closer to 30." Craig joked, giving a small chortle himself.

Chandler remained at ease, seeing that it was going to be quite easy ringing them in. "How does $400 sound?"

Pat and Craig stopped laughing upon hearing the amount. The rest of the group gave questionable stares at the younger boy. "$400 huh? To do what?" Murray asked.

"Oh," Chandler shrugged. "Just a small favor. It's nothing embarrassing, just something I want done to another guy in my class."

"Wait, wait. Hold up." Bob cut in, putting his hands out to grab their attention. "How exactly are we supposed to trust you if we do whatever it is you want us to do?"

"And what's stopping us from just taking the money from you right now?" Pat added, a small grin forming.

Chandler pulled out a small wad of cash. It was good to see at least _one_ of them was actually willing to do the job. "Really. You're gonna beat up a little kid, _right in front of a bunch of people?"_

The rest of the group gave a sour look at Pat. "Pat, next time _think_ before you open your mouth." The first teen said.

"Bug off Paul..." Pat muttered, casually flipping him the bird.

"He is right though. I do want you guys to beat up someone. Well, _TWO_ actually." Chandler dug out his phone, thumbing through some apps. "Both of them are my age, but one sticks out like a sore thumb in a crowd. He has white hair, always wears an orange polo with jeans, and he has this dumb chipped beaver tooth."

"White hair?" Paul scoffed, folding his arms. "Really?..."

"You'll know him when you see him. Plus, part of his hair sticks out like an ostrich's butt. Now, the other guy kinda looks like him, but has blonde hair and two stupid buck teeth. He doesn't irritate me as much as the other guy, but he's a loose end I want to tie up. I'll throw in an extra $100 if you manage to get both of them." Chandler turned his phone towards teens, which showed a picture of Lincoln and Conner talking to each other in the hallway. The fact he managed to catch them interacting at all was accidental, and it wouldn't surprise Chandler if Conner was confessing to Lincoln of the scheme he took part of.

The teens looked over the picture, studying the faces and outfits of the boys. They seemed easy enough to pick out from a distance. They debated as to whether or not they should take this gamble. On one hand, assaulting two little boys could lead to some serious consequences for all of them; if they got caught that is. On the other, it was effectively free money for them. Wasn't like those two pipsqeaks could put up a solid defense against six teens with bats.

"Aight." Paul finally spoke. "On a scale from 1 to 10, how bad do you want the injuries to be? 1 being multiple bruises, with 10 being 'I'm gonna be sitting in the hospital for a few weeks'."

Chandler tapped his chin. "I'd say an 8. Oh, and make sure you take pictures so I know you actually did it and aren't just saying you did." He folded his arms. "I'm not getting cheated out of this."

"Same to you mate. We _will_ find you if you try and weasel out of this." Bob stated in a faint attempt to sound intimidating.

"Anyway, how soon do you want it done?" Craig asked.

"Hopefully, sometime today. I think school just let out, so you can catch them out on the street." Chandler stated.

"Welp, now that we understand the terms of our agreement..." Paul clasped his hands together. "Let's go earn our bounty guys. I mean, what can stop us from getting easy money?"

 **A/N: Well Paul, if you want an answer to that, just wait til next chapter. I think you'll figure that out the hard way.**

 **Anyway, if the fact this long chapter hasn't clued you in, this story is reaching its end. You might have seen it coming at this point: Lincoln forgave most of his family aside from 3, and had already started talking things out with Lynn. She is arguably the one person he'd have the most difficulty with, but after their real heart to heart, Lincoln is now considering returning home. I also tied up Conner and Cristina's relationship as far as how they'll be doing things.**

 **There's only 2 more chapters left for this story. Next one will be the end, followed by an epilogue. It'd be dragging this story on for too long if I went past that. Also, as for the next chapter, as hinted earlier in the story, Lynn is gonna get involved in some serious combat. Oh, and I'll leave it up to you to gueas what I'm going to do about Chandler. I already have a plan in store for him, but it's still funny to see people guess.**


	25. A Sibling's Worth

**A/N: Before we start, I want to thank everyone for their continued support of this story. I honestly didn't expect it to wind up being one of the most recognized stories based on NSL. It started out more-so in response to people constantly making Lincoln die, getting significantly injured for hospitalization, lack of build up to him running away, police involvement being seen as a good thing, everyone in the family just suffering, and (insert other annoying NSL clichés) that just made reading them rather annoying. So, I wanted to do something different, or at least put some clichés together in a form that's more tolerable. This is quite literally the first story I've made anywhere that reached over 1000 reviews and over half that number in both favs and follows. However, Syn is going to beat this story in all fronts since it's nowhere close to being finished. You could say it's my Requiem, and THAT infamous story is nearly finished.**

 **Anyways, this is it. The near-ending everyone has been waiting for. Everything has been set up perfectly for the events that are due to follow in this chapter. After this one, only an epilogue will remain. It's time for Lynn to truly show just how much her brother means to her, and let's not forget what Lori will be up to today. As a warning, there will be plenty of violence and potentially a lot of swears; but I doubt that will stop anyone from reading.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

"Well, that's another 20 minutes of my life I won't get back..." Lynn grumbled to herself, her cleats making small scrapes on the ground as she dragged them on the concrete.

"I didn't say whether we'd be able to catch him. That dunce must've bounced before school let out..." Ronnie Anne replied, a look of indifference on her face. A little smirk was working its way up her lips. "But, there's still _tomorrow_."

"Ronnie," The jock growled. "I don't care much about tomorrow. I want to find him _now_. The longer he's in hiding, the more time he has to pull another stunt on Lincoln."

"I know that, but it's not like we can keep checking around the school for hours." The little Latina replied, shifting her bag a little. "Besides, some of us actually have to get home before their mom starts buzzing their phone like crazy. We already missed the bus, and I gotta walk like, I don't know...20 minutes to my place?"

"Yeah, yeah..." The 13 year old deadpanned, her gaze focused on the bare street ahead.

The two tomboys walked in silence, momentarily stopping at an intersection, waiting for the traffic light to change. Lynn stole a glance at the younger girl, who was idly looking around. An air of awkwardness began to form around the jock as she thought about the little talk they had yesterday. It came up before, but the thought was pushed back at the opportunity to seek out Chandler and make him pay for his little tricks. But that look on Ronnie Anne's face as well as insulting her feelings for Lincoln always kept knocking on the door as a reminder of potential tension between the two girls. It was quite funny though, as the teen came to realize: they had more in common than she would've guessed.

Ronalda attempting to avoid breaking down in front of everyone was something Lynn had done for the first few days after Lincoln's disappearance. At least the Hispanic girl had the benefit of letting it all out, as Lynn assumed, as soon as she left the field. Lynn bottled up her depression, thinking she didn't deserve to shed a tear of sorrow due to what she did. Pop-Pop finally brought that out of her, and Lynn felt _slightly_ better at having that dam break. And even today, the jock could see the fire behind Ronalda's eyes as she was focused on finding the little weasel who gave her and Lincoln a difficult time; Lynn would even go as far to guess that it also had something to do with nearly souring hers and Lincoln's relationship.

 _"She's got it way easier than I do. At least she doesn't have to feel like being an asshole for completely screwing over her bro..."_ Lynn monologued to herself. One thought jumped onto a train as she continued thinking about the interactions between Ronnie Anne and Lincoln. During the times she had avoided them, Lynn would occasionally watch the two from afar, noticing that they seemed a bit closer than usual. At one point, the Loud could've swore that she once caught them leaning against one another on the swings from inside the gym.

A small smile formed on Lynn's face. "So...you and Lincoln huh?"

Ronnie Anne whipped her head around at the sudden notion. "What about it?"

"Have you two made it to first base yet?" Lynn bit her lip to prevent a few chuckles from escaping.

The younger tomboy raised a brow. "Is that some sort of baseball analogy or something?"

Lynn mentally slapped herself. Of course Ronnie Anne wouldn't get it; she's only 11. "Kinda, but it's something you'll get when you're older."

Ronalda narrowed her eyes. "How much older?"

Lynn gave a knowing smirk. "Old enough for when you start noticing more things about Lincoln."

The 11 year old deadpanned. "Stuff like what?..."

"Mmm..." Lynn paused, realizing this talk may not go over smoothly. "You may want to ask your mom or your bro about that."

This just left Ronalda with even more questions. For one, why would Lynn suddenly ask about that? Second, what was she trying to hide? The only thing her and Lincoln did was give each other a little kiss now and then; sometimes a few times during the day in Ronalda's case. However, at the mention of her brother, it unfortunately dug up a suppressed memory of having heard Bobby and Lori making some weird sounds in his room. The 11 year old tuned it out after a few minutes once their moans got on her nerves, but if they were doing what her parents had implied they were going to do right after dropping Ronnie Ann and Lincoln off for their date...

The Hispanic girl put a hand to her mouth as she gave a dry heave. "Ugh...what's with the sudden questions?" She looked at Lynn in her eyes, a light glare forming. "You don't like me being around Linky or something?"

Lynn widened her eyes a little at Ronnie Anne's use of Lincoln's nickname. She gave a little snort as she temporarily ignored it. "Nope. In fact, I have to thank you." The jock shoved her hands in her pockets. The light changed and the two were free to cross. "You were there for Lincoln ever since he ran away. You were there to cheer him up when he was feeling down. You were also the one who made him feel like he was part of a family..." Lynn's gaze became downcast. "While all we did was slowly drive him away and act like complete morons...I practically wrecked our relationship with those dumb superstitions..." She gave a half-smile. "But at least now, me and Linc are cool again. And, you two must've gotten real close if you're calling my bro 'Linky'."

Ronnie Anne faintly blushed at this. She stared at her shoes as they hit solid concrete again. "We are close...and I'm gonna miss him being around once he moves back over to his place..." She gave Lynn a side-glance. "But we wouldn't be the way we are right now if I pushed his buttons too much..."

Lynn frowned. "Let me guess, it's about the video of when he _destroyed_ those boys?"

"Yeah..." Ronnie Anne thumbed her hands into her pockets. "Linc is a nice guy, but he's a completely different person when he's _that_ mad. It made me look like I was having a fit in 4th grade when I beat up those stupid, snobbish girls. And I don't even _remember_ what happened during the fight."

"I do. I was in 6th grade at the time." Lynn huffed a little. "You grabbed one by the head and smashed her face into the floor, then socked the other so hard in nose that she fell over." A laugher escaped her. "It was _awesome_! You pounced on them like a lion and didn't stop until I thought they were dead. A teacher had to pull you off before they really were."

"Oookaaaay...but Lincoln..."Ronnie Anne jolted a little as a small chill ran up her spine. "He whopped five guys like it was _nothing_. Sure, he used a big branch to do it; but how does someone like him, whose usually weak and would hardly fight anyone, do something like _that_? It's almost weird seeing him being so nice these days, and..." She glanced around to make sure no one else was within earshot. "It makes me _a little_ bit afraid of him. But don't tell him that!" She pointed at Lynn in a threatening manner.

Lynn couldn't help but laugh. "Well Ronnie, take it from someone who nearly got their butt handed to them. Lincoln is like a bomb with a _very long_ fuse. He may occasionally hit one of us, but he usually doesn't mean it. And it's usually when all of us are fighting. It takes a lot to get under his skin," Her face then formed into a neutral stance. "But this was one of those times where the bomb finally bursts. I'm also guessing Chandler must've been bothering him for a while, and seeing Lana getting hurt did it again. But honestly, I would've done the same thing." Lynn knitted her brows. "No one hurts my younger siblings and gets away with it, and I'm stickin' to that..."

"So you see what I mean when I couldn't help but imagine what he'd do to me if I went too far?"

"Well, what was the worst thing you did to him?"

Ronalda pursed her lips in thought. She didn't like going over the negative moments she had with Lincoln prior to everything as it stood now, but it did serve as a reminder that she'd never go that far again. "I'd say...it was when I decked him in the eye when he...k-kissed me..." One of her digits fiddled with her ponytail. "I meant to hit his forehead, but I just swung without even aiming. Outside of that, it was just pranks like stuffing food in his pants or the usual 'pie to the face' gag."

Lynn stopped in her step, making Ronnie Anne do the same in confusion. "Ok, one. Stuffing food in his pants is gross, and a waste. I mean, who doesn't wanna eat a good Sloppy Joe? Also, I do remember you pantsed him a few times like I usually do." A wide grin formed as the jock banked on one idea. "I didn't know you wanted to get to 3rd base that quick."

"There you go again with that stupid baseball wordplay I don't even get!" Ronalda yelled in frustration, making Lynn double over a bit as she held her sides.

"Anyway," Lynn started, her fits of laughter dying down. "I doubt Lincoln would ever hurt you. He probably said that he'd always be there for you and protect you, and you may have said the same thing."

Another blush appeared on Ronalda's face, this one more intense than the last. "A-Are you some kind of mind reader?..."

The jock raised a brow. "No?" That same grin returned. "What, did I hit the goal post on that?"

The younger tomboy stayed silent for a moment. She probably would've smacked that stupid look off Lynn's face if she wasn't right. "...He also said...he loved me..."

"Then you got nothing to worry about. You're still stickin' to that promise, right?"

Ronnie Anne nodded, a fire igniting in her eyes. "All the reason why I wanted to stick that meathead Chandler in a locker with all the garbage in it..." That same fire became extinguished as hints of depression took form. "But I still can't believe I fell for that stupid trick..." The younger girl continued walking as she started at the ground.

Lynn followed a second later, the guilt swelling in Lynn's chest again. Her lips thinned a bit, hands tightening a little as the words bubbled up in her throat. What could she say about it? Lynn was right to call out Ronnie, but at the same time, it put her on the spot and probably made her feel more like a inconsiderate jerk with everyone staring at them. With the words practically starting to spill through her lips, the jock let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry..."

The 11 year old raised a brow. "About what?"

"For saying all that stuff to you. I mean, I _had_ to call you out on your shit, but I can bet you felt like a total idiot. Especially with everyone watching you cry to yourself..."

"Well, you weren't wrong...guess I still don't know Lincoln as much as I thought..." A pregnant pause took over the silence. "...Is it ok to wonder if I'm actually good enough for him? I don't believe the whole 'troll' comments other girls at school have been saying to my face, but-" Ronalda stopped as she suddenly felt a shock of pain detonate in her upper arm. She whipped her head towards Lynn, who was giving an unamused stare. "What was that for?!" The Latina glared, rubbing the sore spot.

"That's for thinking you weren't good enough for my bro. I mean, he wouldn't have stuck to you all this time if he didn't think you were worth it. Pranks aside, I think you'd make an awesome girl for Linc." Ronalda's eyes widened a bit. "I wasn't too much of a fan of the girl he used to crush on to be honest. She seemed too, ugh, preppy or whatever. I mean, I know Lori and Leni dress up sometimes, but I don't see the point in doing it when you're just gonna get dirty soon enough. I'm betting $10 she spent a whole lot of time cleaning that blouse more than anything." Lynn smirked a bit. "At least you know how to get rough and stand up for yourself. I think Lincoln secretly likes that in a girl."

Ronnie Anne's glare softened a bit, muddled in a mix of confusion and praise. "I don't get you Lynn. One minute, you're bashing me over how I treated Lincoln in the past, then you apologize for it, and _now_ you're saying that I'm actually good enough for him? Did you hit your head at some point in school?"

The jock suppressed a chortle. "I told you before: I don't want you to make the same mistake I made with Lincoln. By now, I think you know that too. Also, my sisters always figured that you guys were going out, saying you're a keeper." She placed a hand on Ronalda's shoulder. "We really mean that, and I'm pretty sure Lincoln knows it too."

Ronnie Anne looked at Lynn in the eyes to see if she was being serious or not. She didn't find any sort of trickery in them, and a short recall of her date yesterday as well as the other times the tomboy and Lincoln were simply enjoying each other's company came to the forefront of her mind. A moderate blush trickled into her cheeks as she focused back on looking straight ahead, a warm fuzzy feeling in her heart. "Yeah...I guess he does."

* * *

Conner whistled to himself as he walked home from school, hands stuffed into his pockets and didn't have a care in the world. For once, he actually had a decent day at school. He made up with Cristina, made some kind of partnership with Lincoln (or at least dispelling any hostility between them), and his teachers didn't give him any homework. On top of that, the boy took out a piece of paper he had in his pocket. Part of it was torn, as if it had been previously in a notebook. However, the importance of this paper became quite clear once you see Cristina's name and a phone number on it. Smiling to himself, Conner put it back in his pocket, his thoughts drifting towards his oldest sister. The boy also supposed he could tell Carol that the chocolates were a good idea; not that he really wanted to. Carol was one of those girls that'd screech your head off whenever they get excited, and Conner sure as heck wasn't going to come home just to suffer temporary hearing loss.

As the Pingrey boy continued towards his place, he spotted a group of older boys sitting on their bikes on the other side of the street. They had duffle bags on them, probably carrying some sports gear or whatever. It didn't matter to the 11 year old though, as he just gave a passing glance and continued shuffling down the sidewalk, his eyes closed to let himself enjoy the sudden breeze that hit his face. Due to this, Conner didn't pick up the stares the teens were giving him.

Craig was looking between his phone and Conner as he was passing them. "Looks like that's one of 'em."

"But where's the one with the ostrich butt?" Murray asked.

"They kinda look like they're bros. Wouldn't surprise me if they were." Pat added.

"Does it matter? We got $200 walkin' away right now." Paul piped up.

"Still, I'd rather be able to split it $83 for each of us instead of $66." Chris spoke. Since he was typically of few words, half the group jolted upon hearing him.

"Well, how about we do this: we grab him, go find the other one, then beat on 'em until we _think_ it's about an 8 and take pictures." Paul suggested. The other 5 boys shrugged in agreement, kicking up their bike stands and pedaling towards their target.

Conner continued walking, now humming _In The Hall Of The Mountain King_ , a classic song that grew on him after hearing Cassy play it so many times. His closed eyes tightened a little once he picked up the sound of a bike wheel in motion, followed by a few more coming towards him. When he opened his eyes to glance back, Conner stopped his humming at an abrupt high pitch as those boys he passed stopped in front of him.

"Uh...can I help you?" The short blonde asked in confusion.

An air of confidence emitted from Pat as he dawned a cocky grin. "Yeah, we need some advice. Where's your brother at?"

Conner looked at the older kid like he grew a third arm. "Brother?!" He spoke with hushed laughter. "I wish I had a bro. All I got is two older sisters."

"Are they hot?" Bob asked. He earned a quick smack to the back of his for his troubles.

Paul gave an annoyed glance at Bob, his hand stinging slightly. "What's wrong with you?..." The teen reached into his pocket, producing his phone. "You sure this isn't your brother? If it weren't for the white hair, I'd say you two are related." He leaned forward on his bike so Conner could get a better look.

The Pingrey boy still didn't know what they were talking about, but the mention of white hair rang some alarms. Conner's eyes widened as he stared at the picture, which of course, showed the chance meeting he had with Lincoln just hours ago.

"What the?! How did you guys-!" Conner stopped, his surprised demeanor shifting to that of anger. "Chandler..." He spoke through gritted teeth. "He sent you those pictures didn't he?!"

"Whose Chandler?" Craig asked.

"Guess it's that kid whose endorsing us." Chris replied.

Conner folded his arms. "Let me guess, he's paying you to beat up Lincoln?"

Murray squinted his eyes. "Are you psychic or something?"

"He's not psychic idiot, it's obvious he knows them. Besides..." Paul grabbed Conner by his front collar, surprising the young boy. He hoisted him up to his eye level. "You're on the list too. Something about being a 'loose end'." He chuckled darkly.

Beads of sweat began to form on Conner's head. _"Chandler isn't messing around this time...it's one thing to keep going after Lincoln, but ME?!"_ He screamed inwardly.

The 11 year old supposed Chandler got fed up with the fact his previous scheme tanked, and decided to hire bullies now. It wasn't like Conner told Lincoln anything. He might've figured it out for himself. But Chandler must've decided he wanted the whole thing to be kept silent, by any means necessary.

"So, any last words pipsqeak?" Pat snorted, brandishing his bat.

"Uh..." Conner tried to say, staring at Paul's eyes. He soon realized they were pretty vulnerable given how close they were. For a brief moment, a scowl formed on his face. "Don't blink?" Swiftly, Conner slammed a fist into one of the teen's sockets.

Paul squealed in pain, instinctively releasing the younger boy to cover his injured vision. Conner landed on the ground in a huff, but quickly go to his feet and started bolting in the opposite direction. Once Paul uncovered his face, his left eye was red with a small red mark just below it. "Get that runt!"

No one had to be told twice as they put literal pedal to the metal after the Pingrey boy. Conner ran as fast as his legs could carry him, occasionally knocking down trash cans or making sudden turns to try and lose his pursuers. Just about all of the teens managed to dodge the obstacles, though Bob lagged behind after wiping out on a pile of garbage. As the chase continued into the next few blocks, Craig and Murray decided to see if they could nail Conner with a homerun. Just one of those balls hitting him anywhere would be enough to slow him down so they could gain ground easily. Two others joined, with the rest preferring to keep their bikes steady.

However, there's a reason why it's not a good idea to ride a bike while trying to hit a baseball at the same time. Being forced to make sharp turns and the uneven nature of the ground made their aim about as good as firing a shotgun from 100 yards. A few baseballs sailed way off the sides, cracking a car window, smashing through a _house_ window after Pat swung too hard, Bob dented a few more cars on either the doors or bumper, and Murray accidentally caused a few mailboxes some dents with one toppling entirely to the side. Also, a few flyballs may or may not have hit some people wondering around town.

"I just replaced this hip!" An elderly woman shouted at the boys whilist holding her damaged side at an awkward angle.

Paul gave a sharp groan. "How about you guys try _aiming_?"

"You're better at hitting the side of a barn than the boy." Chris chided him.

"Well smart guy, why don't _you_ try." Murray retorted.

"Fine. Might as well show you amateurs how it's done." The normally quiet teen muttered as he reached back into his bag.

Conner panted as he kept running, his heart pounding in his chest as his lungs kept fighting to take in oxygen. His legs ached each time his feet pounded the sidewalk to propel him forward. Every few seconds, he would look back to see if he lost the boys, only to become disheartened each time. Grabbing onto a lamp post, Conner swung a hard left before taking off again, the teens rounding the corner a few seconds later with more balls at the ready.

"Man, how much money did Chandler pay these creeps?!" Conner said aloud, sucking in more air into his fiery chest. "I don't even have enough time to call Carol!"

The Pingrey boy spotted another child walking in the same direction he was running. Unfortunately, he also spotted the familiar set of white hair, meaning he accidentally found the bullies' other target...

A constant level of peace followed Lincoln as he made his way back to the Santiago residence, his mind focused on the prospect being with his real family again. The Loud could've made it back a bit earlier, but decided to take the long way and enjoy the warm, spring air. For once, Lincoln didn't feel an ounce of weight in his chest; the biggest obstacle towards his return was removed after having that chat with Lynn, and he was on Cloud 9 with the affirmation that she would do whatever it took to stay within his graces after going on a manhunt for Chandler. She never confirmed whether she or Ronnie Anne found him though...

Lincoln shrugged to himself. Ah well. She could always tell him in person.

Lincoln breathed deep, letting out a content sigh. "It feels good to finally not have so many things to be worked up over." He smoothly ran his hand through his hair. "I'm almost surprised I inherited this hair from Pop-Pop and not from stress. Then again, I'd probably have wrinkles too. At least, that's what Lisa says." The boy raised a brow upon thinking of his second littlest sister. "Huh. I wonder what she's up to. I haven't heard from her in _weeks._ "

The sound of rapid footfalls caught Lincoln's attention, and before he knew it, a familiar face had flashed by him. "RUN!" Conner yelled as the gap between them increased.

"Run? Run from what?" Lincoln asked aloud, turning to look behind him.

Seeing teens with bicycles several meters away, the boy assumed they must be what Conner was running from. Lincoln was about to duck to the side to avoid them, until he noticed a few were looking directly at him with malicious intent. The fact most of them still had baseball bats at the ready made the 11 year old even more nervous. Lincoln started backing up slowly, turning his body around as he started to pick up his pace.

"Hey, there's the other one!" One of them said.

It was all Lincoln needed to hear before taking off in a full sprint. "CONNER, WAIT UP!" He shouted after the other boy's shrinking form. Having had to deal with his sisters antics and compete with them on a daily basis, Lincoln was able to keep ahead of the teens and soon catch up to Conner, despite the weight of his backpack being a minor hindrance.

"What did you do?!" Lincoln asked once he caught up to the fleeing boy.

"I didn't do anything! They just came out of nowhere and wanted to pummel me!" The Pingrey boy ducked as a baseball whistled past his head.

"I find that hard to believe if they want to hit you with a _bat_ of all things!" Lincoln turned around for a second, seeing another baseball flying at him. He skipped a bit in his step as it flew just under his feet. The Loud reached into his pocket, fishing his phone out. "I'm calling for help!"

"Who are you gonna call?" Conner quickly lifted his bag a bit, feeling another baseball impact the sack before rolling harmlessly to the ground.

"I don't know! Someone?!" Lincoln yelled back. The boy scrolled through his contacts list, trying to figure out who could reach them in time. He doubted most of his older sisters would be nearby, and his parents were out of the question due to them working. Also, he wouldn't want any of his friends getting scraped into this, seeing as all of them would just get creamed. Being geeks had its downsides sometimes. However, Lincoln quickly thought about Lynn. She probably hadn't reached the house yet if she spent some time prowling the school grounds. Plus, and he secretly hoped, she was strong enough to handle people like these bullies.

Scrolling to her number, Lincoln tapped the call button anand hastily put the phone to his ear. Tense seconds of running felt like hours as he heard the phone buzzing on the line. Finally, he got an answer back.

 _"What's up Link?"_ Lynn asked in a casual tone.

"Lynn! Me and this other guy are being chased by these crazy teens with baseball stuff!" Lincoln spoke quickly, giving pained breaths as he spoke. He took a quick note of their surroundings. "We're near the-!" Lincoln suddenly screamed as pain shot through his hand.

A baseball managed to nail his hand, making him drop the phone. The device's screen cracked upon impact. Absolute dread filled Lincoln as he paused to look at the phone, only to take off again a moment later. Then, the cellular device was broken into pieces as it was ran over by the teens, ending the call and Lynn's frantic voice.

* * *

"Lincoln?! Lincoln are you there?!" The jock asked, staring at the phone as if her brother's face would appear. The disconnected tone emitting from her phone made heart sink. "Dang it!" She shouted to the sky.

"What was that about?" Ronnie Anne asked, growing concerned herself.

"Lincoln just called me and said he's being chased around by some bullies, and now I think his phone is dead!" Lynn replied, fuming as she paced around. "This is just perfect. My brother is about to get slammed, and I have no flipping clue where he's at! He could be lying on the ground with a broken arm or whatever by-wait a sec." Whipping her head to Ronnie Anne, "He was still heading to your house, right?"

The Latina nodded. "He should be..." Ronalda furrowed her brows in thought. "Did he say where he was?"

"Did you hear what I just said a second ago?..." Lynn deadpanned as she subconsciously gripped her phone.

"Well what are we standing around here for?! Come on!" The 11 year old took off down the street, Lynn speeding after her.

Each minute that passed increased both girls' worry for the white-haired Loud. Ronnie Anne feared for his safety, hoping these 'bullies' that were mentioned were around her age group. If so, then she could jump into the fray if need be. On the other hand, Lynn was particularly more stressed about the idea of Lincoln being beaten up by people roughly her age. If they were kids within Lincoln's grade, she wouldn't be as worried; Lincoln might just find another tree branch or garbage can to use.

But, it wasn't like that today. Lynn was well aware that fights between teens could get ugly _fast_ , with broken limbs added to the mix along with major concussions. After all, she got detention a few times and even a suspension once for getting into a few scraps, with her usually coming out on top. So, in spite of her prowess as an athlete, Lynn was just another meatheaded jock to some of the teachers.

Adding to the sense of dread was that Lincoln said those guys were carrying baseball equipment. The brunette shuddered at the thought of those teens actually using the bats on her brother. A few tears became to well in her eyes just imagining Lincoln crumpled on the ground in agony, covered in bruises with his arms and legs-

 _"No...no that's not going to happen!"_ Lynn told herself, a growl building up in her throat. She kept her mouth closed so Ronnie Anne wouldn't hear her, as well as rubbing away those salty tears. _"If there's even one_ hair _out of place on Lincoln...I'm going to tear someone's arm off and_ BEAT _them with it if I have to! I'm not failing him again!"_

Up ahead, the two girls noticed a little spark fizzle on the ground. Out of curiosity, they slowed their pace until they came across the object. It was a mobile device that looked as if it had been smashed by a car.

"Man, talk about someone having bad luck." Ronnie Anne quipped.

Lynn didn't answer, knitting her brows at the broken phone. It looked oddly familiar...

She knelt down and picked up one of the larger pieces, taking note of the design. The brunette couldn't help but release some rage upon recognizing the crumpled material. "This is Lincoln's phone! No wonder he suddenly hung up!" Turning it a bit, she noticed half of a circular imprint as well as small tire tracks. "And it looks like someone hit him with a baseball and maybe a bike..."

Ronnie Anne raised a brow. "And how exactly do you know that?"

Lynn pouted her lips, looking at the other pieces on the ground. "...I had accidentally beaned Lincoln with a baseball a few times and had to help treat him..."

The younger tomboy gave a sideways glance. "A _few_ times?"

"Ok ok, several." Lynn showed the imprints to Ronalda. "And the tire marks are about the same size as my dirt bike. Either way, we're close."

"Ok, but I doubt Lincoln would've ran all the way to my house with a bunch of crazy guys after him. My parents wouldn't be home, and Bobby isn't much of a fighter."

"Well, he could've went somewhere big enough to lose them..." Lynn tapped her foot.

Ronalda looked down the street, spotting a sign that led to a popular location a few blocks away. "Let's head to the park. Big enough for him to find some place to lie low."

"Let's hope he did..." The girls took off in a jog, as their stamina was a little low. "I'm surprised Lincoln could actually keep ahead of someone on a _bike_. But I know he can't run forever without getting a Charlie Horse..."

* * *

Lincoln hissed as he rubbed his left quad, the aching slowly becoming a faint, irritating throb.

"Tell me again why we couldn't just head to the dump?!" Conner whispered, peeking through the leaves of the bush they were hiding in.

"I told you! I had a bad experience the last time this happened, and I'm not gonna get caught up in that again!" Lincoln retorted.

Conner glared at the Loud. "But we would've lost them though!"

Lincoln raised a hand defensively. "Look, it's better that we didn't head there." His glanced at the ground. "Unless you wanna get attacked by junk yard dogs."

Steam escaped from Conner's nose as he let out an aggravated sigh. "Fine...but what's the plan now?"

"Once my leg stops aching, we'll just sneak out of here. This place is _way_ too big for them to be everywhere."

"I guess..." The blonde sat on the ground.

"By the way, you didn't say what you did to make those guys mad." Lincoln added, shaking his leg in an attempt to get rid of the weird feeling it had.

Conner debated whether or not this would be a good time to tell Lincoln the full truth. While he could keep quiet about it, the chances of what may happen should Lincoln found out later didn't paint a pretty picture. "...It was Chandler...I guess his last scheme didn't go as he would've liked..."

Waves of anger flashed through Lincoln, but before he could shout as loud as he could, the boy swiftly reminded himself that he was to keep quiet. "What the?... Seriously?!" The white-headed boy spoke harshly. "What is with that guy?! It's not my fault he was dumb enough to attack my sister!" He clenched his hands tightly, repositioning himself so his legs were crossed. "I'm sooo giving him something to remember at school tomorrow, and I won't even care if I get in trouble for it..." He then raised an eyebrow at Conner as that last sentence had finally registered in his head. "Wait a minute..." Lincoln gave Pingrey a suspicious look. "How did you know it was him making those fake pictures?"

Conner began to sweat a little, rubbing the back of his head in a poor attempt to mask his nervousness. "I...may have accidentally helped him with those fake photos you saw the other day."

Lincoln's eyes widened as much as possible, his body flinching a little as if he had been smacked. Those eyes then started squinting back into a glare with his lips parting to show his teeth rubbing together. With his face growing a bit red, Lincoln snatched Conner by the collar of his shirt and pulled him in close. "You better have a good reason for why I shouldn't just leave you here!..." The Loud spoke lowly.

As intimidated as Conner was by the pissed off Loud, he knew Lincoln wouldn't hit him; at least for now. He could've hit him hard enough to knock him out of the bush at any moment, but Lincoln was giving him a chance to explain himself. "Um, because they'll come after you anyways? I don't know how much money Chandler is throwing at them, but if it's enough to chase us several blocks, what you do think is gonna stop them from just putting you in the doctor's office after they deal with me?"

The redness on Lincoln's face dissipated. "I have at least 5 sisters willing to back me up."

"Ok, but can you _reach them_ before _they_ get you?"

Lincoln opened his mouth to form a retort, but closed it as he started weighing his options. His phone was destroyed, but he managed to contact Lynn before being cut off, so he was somewhat positive she was looking for him. However, he didn't even know how far away she was, nor would she even know where _he_ was. The sporty Loud could be looking elsewhere around town right now, and his actual home was several blocks away. With him already having suffered from leg pains, the Loud doubted he could make it that far.

"Thought not." Conner added, removing Lincoln's hand when he felt his grip slacken. "By the way, I didn't even know Chandler took pictures of me and Cristina until _after_ he was done with them."

Lincoln held his glare, unsure of whether he should believe the boy or not. After a few tense minutes, "...As much as I hate being near you right now, you're right..." Lincoln finally admitted. "But, do _you_ have a phone? Maybe so you can call _your_ sister?"

Conner nodded. "I do, but I don't have much juice on it." He fished his phone out of his pocket. The boys flinched upon hearing the sound of bicycle tires passing by their bush, along with the sounds of a disgruntled teen. Leaning over, Lincoln see Conner's phone only had 7% battery life.

"Ok...look, we'll sneak out of here, find a place to charge it, and call both our siblings. But when this is over, I'm gonna decide whether or not I should let Lynn kick your butt." Instead of the intense malice Lincoln had earlier, his tone only carried plain annoyance.

Conner just shrugged off the threat. "Whatever you say, boss." He added sarcastically, including a mock salute.

Peeking through the leaves again, they saw the coast was clear. Carefully, the two boys came out of their hiding spot, keeping low behind the bushes to avoid standing out. Making a quick check of their surroundings, neither of them saw any of the teens.

"Think we should go back the way we came? They might think we're gonna go out the other side." Conner suggested.

"That might work. Or they have that exit covered..." Lincoln replied, shifting at the uneasy feeling he had in his gut.

Conner gave Lincoln a side-glance. "You have any other ideas?"

"Besides operation sneak out of the park, charge your phone, call for help, and think of a shorter name for it?"

The blonde gave a half-lidded stare. "That's not a name, that's just telling what we're gonna do..."

Lincoln's cheeks became a faint red, trying to remain indignant. "I'm not good with operation names, ok?..."

Conner rolled his eyes before heading towards the park exit, Lincoln close behind him. The two boys stuck like glue to the foliage, hoping the thick leaves would make good camouflage. However, there was still the issue with the fact their hair made them easily stand out against the evergreen. Lincoln expressed the idea of covering their hair with dirt or mud, but Conner found that to be a waste of time; plus, he wasn't gonna spend an hour in the shower to wash it off later. If they spotted one of the bullies, they'd immediately duck behind a tree, bush, or bench and wait for them to pass. Taking things slow made it seem like they've been in the park for hours. Running would've been the best option, but the boys didn't want to risk it until they were close to safety.

Upon spotting the exit, both boys felt the fear boil in their guts as they saw there was little to no cover over the next 50 yards.

"Well...go for broke?" Lincoln asked.

"If you get another Charlie Horse, I'm not dragging you again." Conner replied with earnest. "You're lucky we were able to get here in the first place."

Lincoln furrowed his brows. "Don't forget we're still having that talk later..." He took a quick note of their surroundings. After seeing they were alone, "Run!"

Both boys shot out of cover, making a beeline for the brick-covered entrance. Surprisingly, none of the other teens took notice of their impending escape, still being over 70 yards looking elsewhere.

"This was so easy!" Lincoln boasted as he glanced back. However, the 11 year old could only see two of the bullies. A sense of dread began to form as the Loud started to wonder where the others were. "A bit _too_ easy." He added, slowing his pace a bit.

Conner shot a glare at him. "Don't start jinxing it now! We're about to-" The Pingrey boy never finished his sentence, for a bat suddenly swung out from around the corner and nailed him in the abdomen. With the air forced out of his lungs, Conner crumpled to the ground holding his bruised midsection. Lincoln came to a halt to his left, eyes widened as he watched the blonde forcing air back into his system.

"You didn't think we were _that_ dumb, did ya pipsqueak?" Craig boasted as he came around the right corner, his bat still held out. Bob approached from the left side, getting off his bike. The freckled-faced teen cracked his knuckles as he cast a grin that made Lincoln shiver a bit.

The Loud began to back up, raising his hands in a defensive posture. "C-Can't we just talk this out?" He pleaded. The boy flinched upon feeling a hand grasp his shoulder from behind.

"We aren't interested in talkin', runt." Pat replied. "Unless, you can top what that other boy is payin' us." By now, the rest of the group was arriving, forming a wide circle around the two 5th graders. Conner was thrown a bit further into the center, grunting in pain at the act before managing to sit himself up.

"I-I mean, I could pay you guys...b-but I don't have a lot of money."

"Well, sucks to be you then." Pat brandished his own bat, promptly poking Lincoln hard enough to make the Loud fall onto his butt.

"See? I told you they would've tried coming out at some point." Chris boasted.

"I still think you just wanted to have all the fun to yourself..." Murray grumbled, digging into his bag. "I've been waiting at that other gate for hours."

"Dude, it was only 8 minutes." Craig pointed out.

"Well, obviously I had to come up with the plans. And I was the _only_ one who actually managed to hit them." Chris positioned his bat on his shoulder. "The rest of you would've just ended up getting the police on our asses."

"Yes yes, we can't aim." Paul cut in, kicking some dirt off his weapon. "Can we wrap this up? I don't got all day."

Lincoln and Conner started sweating bullets. The Pingrey child was swearing to himself for not simply calling his sister much earlier, and Lincoln couldn't help but remember the time when Lynn threatened to beat him with a bat all those weeks ago. While he managed to avoid getting beaten that time (even though Lynn said it was a bluff), it seemed fate was destined to have his face married to the wooden stick. The only silver lining he could see was that the bats weren't made of metal.

"So, any last words before you visit the doctor?" Craig asked.

"Hey! Lose this?!" A feminine voiced yelled out.

The teens looked toward the source, only to find one of their bicycles flying right towards them. Bob took the full brunt of the projectile to his chest, knocking him flat on his back. The bike tumbled forward a bit, causing everyone else to scatter away from it before the object came a rest on its side. Looking to see who threw the bike, there was mix of immense relief and confusion between the two parties. Lynn stood there with a scowl on her face, her hands gripping another one of the bikes. Ronnie Anne stood next to her, giving her own glare at the older boys.

"Who the hell are you?!" Murray questioned.

"Someone whose about to kick your ass!" Lynn shouted. She gripped the front wheel of bike and, to everyone's surprise, she swiftly tore the entire wheel off and threw it like a buzz saw at the group.

The teens scrambled out of the way with Lincoln and Conner ducking to avoid the flying object. Murray wasn't nearly as quick though. He screamed as he put his bat up for defense. The impact of the wheel forced him onto his back before the wheel went and crashed against a nearby tree. Seeing they were no longer cornered, Conner and Lincoln got to their feet and ran up to the two girls.

Lynn momentarily took her eyes off the other group, giving a soft look at her brother. "You alright Lincoln?"

"Y-Yeah..." Lincoln replied, panting a little. "Just a bit shaken..."

Ronnie Anne raised an eyebrow at Conner. "Who are you?"

"Names Conner, and-"

"Hey..." Lynn squinted at the blonde. "Haven't I seen you somewhere?"

Conner's pupils shrank as he fidgeted ever so slightly. "Um, no?"

"Can we talk about this later?" Lincoln thankfully cut in.

Paul looked down at Bob, who was still clutching his chest. "You alright?"

"I think something's broken...nngh..." Came Bob's weak response.

Craig stared agape at the discarded bike wheel for a few seconds. "I'm gonna kill that girl for wrecking my bike!" He yelled, catching the attention of the kids.

Lynn looked back at the teens, her lips curling into a deep frown. "Guys, I want you to get out of here as fast as you can. I'll deal with these punks..." Her voice was nearly quiet, so much that Lincoln thought he misheard her.

"What?! Lynn, you can't seriously be thinking about taking these guys!" Lincoln tried to reason.

"I'm with Link on that. I can help you." Ronnie Anne added, folding her arms. "Plus, I never got to throw anything yet."

Lynn turned her head towards the little tomboy. "No Ronnie Anne. You make sure Lincoln stays safe. Plus, no offense, but I doubt you'd fare well against guys with bats."

"Look whose talking..." Ronalda retorted.

"Well let me ask you this..." Lynn put a hand to her hip. "Do you take, or have you taken, any sort of martial arts?"

"No." The dark haired girl quickly responded.

"Have you ever used a handheld weapon before?"

"No."

"Have you ever dealt with someone holding a weapon before?"

Ronalda went silent for a moment. "Does a book count?"

Lynn shook her head. "No, it doesn't. Also, have you ever bench-pressed furniture just for the heck of it when you're bored?"

Conner gave a surprised look while Ronalda looked at it Lynn like she was crazy. "What the? Why would I even do that?!"

"My point exactly. Hate tellin' ya this sister, but you wouldn't last 2 minutes against them. If they've been chasing Link and whatshisface here with bats out, they're pretty serious." The 13 year old looked back at the teens, who were approaching the entrance. "Now go!"

They hesitated for a moment, but began to take off down the street a moment later. Lincoln remained behind though; he still didn't like what Lynn had planned, but he knew he couldn't sway her if her mind was set. Sighing heavily, "Ok...but be safe, please?"

"Hey..." Lynn glanced at him. "If it makes you feel better, just call the cops when you get the chance." Lincoln nodded, quickly pulling his sister into a hug. She returned it with earnest before letting him run down the street. She turned back to her enemies, who were now growing cocky given their numerical advantage.

"Oh, this is rich. You really think you can take on all of us, short stuff?" Craig chuckled.

Lynn gave a curt laugh of her own, dumping her backpack to the side. "Oh, I'll do more than that. Just imagine that bike is your face."

Eyeing their bats, she started formulating a battle plan in her head. Upon seeing the logo on the wooden sticks, she couldn't help but groan internally at the fact these guys were from Hazeltuckey. That might explain why they looked somewhat brutish. Even if they were amateurs, their size and their weapons would make up for that. Lynn figured she could do some decent damage with her fists and kicks, especially towards vital areas. But, if she was really going to take them all down, she'd have to 'borrow' one of their weapons. Should be simple to do, seeing as one was already down for the count.

Looking down, Lynn knelt until she grasped the back wheel of the ruined bike. It was more secure than the front, so it took a few seconds before she removed it. The jock heard Craig groan upon this, which made her give a wide grin. Wrapping her fingers in the spokes, she held the wheel like a shield. "Now, come at me bro!"

The other teens didn't need to be told twice, as they all attempted to jump her at once. Lynn snorted a little. Through her martial arts training, she learned to let her opponent make a mistake first, and punish them for it; and boy was she seeing a few right now. Normally, all five of them could attack her at once if she was pinned; but because she had free movement, and due to her small size, evasion was hardly an issue. Plus, at best, only 2 or 3 could attempt to fight her directly. Lynn ducked to the left to avoid a bat swing, blocking another with her temporary shield before jumping to avoid a swing that was aimed for her exposed legs. The brunette then moved her shield to the back of her head to block a blow aimed there and promptly shoved the wheel right into Chris' face, then delivering a kick to Murray's gut. Murray faltered a little, during which Lynn bashed him in the fact with the shield to knock him down.

Paul swung hard at her from the side, to which Lynn blocked again. The momentum pushed her to the right a bit, leaving a small opening for Chris to swing at her leg. Lynn kicked out to intercept the bat, groaned a bit as the impact with her shoe caused her leg to vibrate in pain a bit. She didn't dwell on it further as Chris sent a fist towards her. Gritting her teeth, Lynn grabbed his hand and judo threw him over her head. The teen cried out as he landed on his back. Lynn made an attempt to steal his bat, but was cut off as Pat rushed her with a tackle equivalent to a football player. The shorter girl dug her cleats into the ground to stop the charge, but this did little until Pat slammed her into the base of a tree.

Lynn gave a sharp yelp upon impact, her guard lowering just enough for Pat to deliver three punches to her face. The first and second struck her forehead and cheek respectively. The third strike occurred just under Lynn's right eye, but before the fourth could land home, Lynn angrily grabbed his fist and twisted the hand to an awkward angle. Pat cried out before Lynn delivered a savage punch to his nose. She was satisfied upon hearing the subtle pops and cracks accompanied with a broken nasal passage. Pat immediately stumbled back, dropping his bat in the process. Seizing the chance, Lynn took it as her own before jumping high enough so she was level with the teen's head.

The last thing Pat saw before his world faded was the thickest part of the wooden object swinging towards him.

 _THWACK!_

Pat dropped liked a stone, his eyes rolled into the back of his head as consciousness escaped him. As Lynn smiled at her handy work, she heard the distinct sound of bat hitting ball. Swiftly turning her head, she lifted the bike wheel to block a few baseballs flying at her.

"Well, Pat's down." Chris bemoaned.

"He was an idiot anyway." Paul surmised, tossing another ball in his hand.

"Geez, how many of those things do you guys have?" Lynn asked out of curiosity.

"Enough to act like those machines at the batting cages. Though, we technically stole some of these from there anyway." Craig replied, tossing a ball up and down.

All 4 boys immediately batted several balls in Lynn's direction, forcing her to take cover behind her shield. Some 20 feet behind her and to the left, Bob leaned up with a groan, his chest aching every time he moved. He spotted his friends pinning Lynn under constant fire, though she was slowly walking her way towards them. He also spotted Pat unconscious with blood coming out of his nose. The 13 year old was growing concerned about how often the spokes bent in the wheel, and if she didn't do something soon, she'd lose her only means of protection. She sped up her pace a bit, making sure to keep her feet protected if the boys decided to target her there. The brunette was completely unaware that Bob was beginning to stand up. Seeing he had an opening, Bob spotted one of the wayward baseballs that had been deflected by Lynn near his feet. He stood up and, using his pitching skills, aimed the ball for the back left side of her head. Winding the arm back, Bob let it loose at 90mph.

Lynn thought she was doing fairly well against these pukes. She managed to drop one of them, another was still on the floor (or so she believed), and she now had a bat to even the score. However, the second she felt pain detonate on the back of her skull and she was tumbling earthward, her mind was telling her one thing: she fucked up. She got too cocky and locked into tunnel vision on the 4 boys who were throwing stuff at her. Lynn knew the last guy she beat down wouldn't get back up, but the one who got checked by a bike earlier could. The 13 year old hit the ground in a heap, clutching the spot where the ball hit her. She could already feel a knot forming, and touching it just caused even more pain. But Lynn knew it would pale in comparison to what those 5 boys would do to her now that she was wide open...

* * *

Just a few blocks away from the park, another pair of brutish teens were heading in that direction whilst munching on some milk chocolates. The treats had been 'given' to them by some poor kid who just used his allowance at the candy store. They laughed at remembering how the boy was running around blind due to having his underpants pulled to the top of his head.

"So bro, whose on our list today?" Hank asked.

"Let's see." Hawk whipped out a list from his back pocket. "There's that kid by the creek who owes us $30, then there's that little nerdy kid who needs to do our homework, then we got wrestling practice at 5. And-" The spikey-haired teen stopped upon bumping into the back of his brother. "Whatcha stop for?"

"Check it out." Hank pointed a few blocks up. Hawk followed his finger until he saw 3 kids coming out of the park and heading in their direction. While it wasn't clear as to whether they were running or jogging, the two fat kids could make out patches of white on one of the kids' heads.

"Hey, it's that nerd we tried to beat up at Dairy Land."

Hank groaned. As his shoulders sank, he ended up spilling some of the chocolate out of the bag he was holding. "Aw man, do you think his parents are around? We still owe him that thrashing."

Hawk squinted his eyes. He had better eyesight than his brother, and it's not because Hank always has those stupid bangs over them. "Nah, just a couple of other brats with him."

"Well, more meat for us then. Maybe we can get some extra cash off 'em."

"Heh heh, yeah."

Both teens chuckled to themselves as they took up hiding spots. Hawk stood in the bushes that bordered the park while Hank squatted in front of a car parked on the curb.

As the kids ran, Lincoln couldn't help but look back towards the park entrance. He couldn't see Lynn, but he was certain she started the fight by now. While there wasn't much he could do in that sort of situation (aside from potentially being in the crossfire), the Loud felt guilty for leaving his sister to defend herself. However, Lincoln knew she was doing it to protect him, and going back to aid her would make all of Lynn's efforts for naught. Still, he could take up her suggestion at calling the police. That last thought struck Lincoln with a sense of realization, and he mentally chided himself for not realizing it sooner: Ronnie Anne probably had her phone on her. But first, they needed to put some distance between them and the park.

"Ronnie Anne, you have a phone?" Lincoln asked once he caught up with the two.

"Yeah, it's in my bag."

"Great. Can you call 91-" Right as they were passing by the tall bushes, a large, meaty hand swung out towards Lincoln. Before any of the kids could react, it smashed him in the center of his face. Lincoln's vision whited out as he felt his nose break; a sick, cracking noise accompanying it. The sudden halt in his momentum caused Lincoln's feet to slide out under him, making him land hard onto his back in a daze. The 11 year old started gasping through his mouth as he felt something pooling out of his nose. He could hear Ronnie Anne shouting something, but couldn't make it out. Squeezing his eyes shut, the world finally started to come back into focus upon opening them. Lincoln put a hand to nose, drawing in a shaky breath upon seeing how much it was soaked in his own blood. To his right, Lincoln spotted Conner on his stomach, having ran into the arm that struck the Loud. To his left, Ronnie Anne was in a defensive stance against a large teen that made Lincoln's blood run cold. It was then that Lincoln finally noticed the shadow that was looming over him, making him back away a bit in fear.

"S'up nerd!" Hawk grinned, his right hand flexing as it was covered in specs of blood.

* * *

Lynn could feel pain on her various parts of her body as the teens beat her into the ground with their bats, sometimes throwing in a kick for good measure. The tire she was using to shield herself was bent to the point it was hardly making much of a difference, aside from potentially saving her from having something being automatically broken upon impact with a bat. Didn't help that some of the bent spokes were constantly poking her, one of which she felt digging into her waist. Adding to that pain was that Lynn's heel had started acting up again, and taking a few hits towards the same leg on her shin bone made the feeling even worse. The 13 year old fought back a few tears as one hit managed to slam into her bad leg again. She still let out a small cry as the intense throbbing from that limb became unbearable.

Naturally, the other teens were taunting her now, saying she talked a big game and couldn't live up to it. Lynn tried to tune it out, to focus on getting out of her pinned state, but the thought of Lincoln being right made her feel even more stupid for not simply calling her other sisters for help on this matter. After a few more bats hit the area where her head was, Lynn could feel trickles of blood running down the left side of her face.

Finally, after what seemed liked an eternity, the boys relented. They all gave ragged breaths due to exerting so much force to punish the loud. Surveying the damage, Lynn had a few bruises forming on her face on top of the small amount of blood that was slipping out from cuts on her head. Her legs had a few bruises that were starting to develop as well. The jersey and shorts she typically wore were dirty and slightly torn in a few places from the wheel prodding her, and her right leg felt very stiff. There was also the massive headache she had due to getting beaned in the back of her head by that baseball.

"Thought you'd put up more of a fight you little bitch!" Murray yelled, stomping his foot on Lynn's shield one more time. The brunette squeaked a little from the impact.

"She still took out Pat dude, and that bike toss hurt." Bob pointed out, taking a moment to rub his bruised chest.

"Man, that could've been energy we should've been using on those brats." Craig huffed.

"Don't worry. We'll just find them and give them their just desserts." Paul looked down at Lynn, who managed to lock eyes with him. "Might even do even worse to that boy she says is her bro."

"Wanna give him a 10?" Chris asked.

"Yeah. I only got enough in the reserves for one."

Lynn's eyes widened a bit. She didn't know what kind of numbers they were referring to, but it couldn't mean anything good. The group turned to leave, letting the bruised Loud lie there. Lynn moved the useless wheel off of her, her body telling her to just lie there and recover. Yet, her mind was something else entirely. The brunette gritted her teeth as she turned onto her stomach, slowly pushing her body up with her sore arms.

 _"Come on Lynn! You've been through worse!"_ She chided herself. " _If you don't do something_ NOW _, Lincoln will suffer horribly and it'll be on_ YOU! _Do you really want to fail him again?! No! Now get up."_ Lynn drew in a breath and pushed her body into a sitting position. _"I said GET. UP!"_ Her brain shouted to the rest of her body. Grabbing her bat, Lynn stuck it into the ground to use it as a support. The jock managed to stand up fully on wobbly legs, her right leg in particular screaming to stop being used to support all that weight.

"You're...not going to hurt him..." Lynn spoke slowly, staring at the ground.

The boys turned around in confusion. "I'm sorry, what?" Paul asked.

"I said..." Lynn directed her attention to them, her messy hair lifting up enough to the point the boys could see a fire burning bright as day in her eyes. Waves of pure rage flowed through her veins as newfound adrenaline overtook her. "You're. Aren't. GOING TO HURT HIM!" She repeated before taking off like a freight train towards them.

The boys readied themselves for another fight, but this was a battle Lynn intended to _win_. Driving them off was her goal in mind the first time around, but now...she was going for a more permanent solution...

The jock slammed head long into Murray, who was at the front of the group. He thought he could handle it, but Lynn hit him with enough force to knock him back several feet. The rest of the boys had scattered from the hit like bowling pins. Gripping her bat tightly, she slammed it into Murray's midsection. Doubling over in pain, he left his face open for Lynn to punch him square in his mouth. Her knuckles were grazed a bit upon hitting teeth, not that Lynn cared. She then tugged his shirt collar to shove his face into the dirt, followed by a bat to the back of his head to drive it in further. The other boys stood in shock at how quick it took Lynn to bring Murray down, and she pounced at the opportunity.

Leaping into the air, bat raised, she intended to slam Chris in his face. However, the teen was quick to dodge before attempting to strike her head. However, Lynn grabbed his bat mid-swing and snatched it from him, rolling to deliver a kick to his stomach. Chris stumbled back from the hit, before suddenly feeling his airway cut off as something pressed against his neck. Lynn sat on his shoulders, using her bats to strangle him. Chris staggered about like a survivor being ridden by a Jockey of the Green Flu, and Lynn wasn't about to let go at any point. The other 3 boys moved in to dislodge her, but Lynn easily guided Chris into taking most of the hits, only blocking those that she couldn't force the teen to take. After a few more seconds, Chris fell like a bag of sand, completely unconscious.

The three teens tried attacking once again at the same time, but this proved to be a huge mistake. Lynn gripped a bat in each hand before spinning around, creating a wall of bats and blunt force to counter them. Among the hits, she nailed Craig in the knees, making him topple over, Bob took a few hits to the shoulder and arms, forcing him to back off; Paul was literally thrown back after getting smacked in the chest, stomach, and head. Stopping her spin, Lynn threw one of the bats at Bob, nailing him right in the Johnson. He squealed in pain as he brought his hands to his groin, and Lynn followed up with a wide kick across the face, scratching it up with her cleats. One blow to the side of his head was all it took to put him down.

Lynn then directed her attention Craig, who was nursing his knee with subtle hisses. She simply threw her other bat at his head, the force being enough to put him out.

The Loud huffed in exhaustion, but she knew she wasn't done yet. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Paul trying to crawl his way to safety, being a bit too disorientated to stand up. Nostrils flared, the jock turned on her heels and ran full speed at him. When she was close enough, Lynn leaped into the air. Paul dared to look back, only to find himself screaming as Lynn came flying at him with the flat parts of her feet extended. The last thing he registered was Lynn's screaming as both feet planted themselves on his face and forced his sorry carcass into the dirt, leaving a sizable imprint.

Lynn stood up fully, stretching her back out a bit and grunting as it gave a few pops. Surveying the damage she dealt, the jock knew she had won. All of the boys had bruises in some form or another, with blood coming out of their mouths for a few of them. She could see a few of them twitching now and then, indicating they were still breathing. Lynn would've done more, but she felt she got her message across. If _anyone_ dares to come after Lincoln, they'd have to get through _her_ first...

A scream suddenly sounded through the air, sending a chill up Lynn's spine. She knew it all too well, and it sounded fairly close. Lynn grimaced a bit as the pain her leg made itself known again, but she did her best to ignore it. Grabbing one of the discarded bats, she ran with a limp towards the park entrance, steeling her intent to brutalize whoever else was messing with her brother.

* * *

Hank laughed at the little girl who thought she could stand a chance against him. "You lost sissy?"

"No, but you and your fat friend over there are about to wish you hadn't done that!" Ronnie Anne growled, clenching her fists tighter. She was already pissed that Hawk had blindsided Lincoln to the point he broke his nose, and she was currently failing Lynn's promise to watch over him. Putting those two together was making her blood boil even more.

"Oh really?" Hank chuckled, picking up Ronnie Anne by her backpack. "You know that shrimps like you," He prodded her stomach. "Only end up getting walked over by people like me right? What makes you think you can do anything?"

Ronnie Anne just growled before taking Hank's finger and biting it like a dog. The fat teen screamed and started trying to shake her off. Hawk glanced away from Lincoln and looked over. He laughed to himself before walking over to help his brother out. Lincoln was still in shock from the hit, but Conner managed to right himself again. The blonde took his phone out, seeing it had 4% charge now. Seeing that they weren't going to get to safety at any point, Conner quickly opened up the message app and sent a clean cut text to Carol.

 _[Need help URGENTLY at corner of park! In serious trouble with bullies!]_

While Conner knew Carol wasn't much of a fighter, he hoped she could at least do _something_...

Hawk strutted over to Hank, who was now shaking his hand in a poor attempt to dislodge Ronnie Anne. "She's real feisty isn't she?"

"Just get her off! Get her off!"

Hawk rolled his eyes before grabbing Ronnie Anne by the backpack and ripping her off, Hank screaming again as her teeth tore skin. The spikey-haired teen then unceremoniously threw her towards some nearby trash cans. A metallic crash was heard as two of them spilt over. Dusting his hands off, "There. Happy?"

Hank rubbed his sore finger. "She's crazy bro..."

"Now, where were we?" Hawk grinned back at Lincoln. The white-haired boy, who had been staring agape at where Ronnie Anne was thrown, started backing up again. He tried to force his body to act quicker, but it didn't seem to respond. Hawk hoisted him up by the collar. "Ready for more knuckle sandwiches?"

Lincoln looked towards the brute's hand, noticing the blood spots. Memories of last Halloween came to the forefront of his mind, and his fear was temporarily replaced by confusion. "W-Wait, I thought you guys were afraid of blood!"

Hank laughed. "Yeah, we were. But in case we ended up runnin' away like little girls again, we got a bunch of gory games so we'd get used to seeing it."

"Yeah, those games were awesome! So, we ain't afraid of blood anymore." Hawk grinned evilly at Lincoln, who just stared at him in shock. "But we're more inclined to cause it. Heh heh heh!"

Lincoln gulped, a trickle of sweat going down the side of his head. Looks like a broken nose would be the least of his worries today. His eyes caught Hawk looking at his chipped tooth, to which Lincoln quickly shook his head and covered his mouth.

"I think I'm runnin' low on tooth fairy money, and yours will do." Hawk raised his fist. Lincoln closed his eyes as he prepared for the searing pain that would infect his face.

Suddenly, a feminine scream cut through the air before a red-faced Ronalda latched herself onto Hawk's face. She clawed at his eyes like an angry house cat, the large boy screaming in pain. Hawk was forced to let go of Lincoln as he tried to get Ronalda off of him, and this time Hank was the one laughing. He looked at Lincoln and Conner, his toothy grin making them nervous. Conner was the first to try and run, but a hard punch to his cheek sent him spiraling to the ground. He then grabbed Lincoln and reached for his undies, taking pleasure in the little boy screaming as they rode up on his behind. Using the undies as leverage, Hank hung Lincoln on the metal fence bordering the park, before doing the same to Conner.

"Wait here for a sec." He ordered them. Conner moved his mouth a bit as he felt something loose, before spitting out a tooth. A small trail of blood started dripping from his lip, and scratches were visible from the side of his face that made contact with the ground.

Hawk flailed around as Ronalda was now biting parts of his face and pulling at his ears. Hank whistled as he strolled up to the fighting pair. "My turn!" He shouted before ripping the little Latina off his brother's face. He held a firm grip as Ronnie Anne struggled in his hands, kicking her feet widely. Hawk rubbed his face for a bit before growling at the little girl. His face was covered in scratches and bite marks, with a bruise forming around one of his eyes. Ronnie Anne continued to struggle in Hank's grasp before Hawk sent a fist right into her midsection and stopping her tantrum cold. As the air was knocked out of her, Lincoln let out a gasp as Hawk then punched her thrice in the face: twice in the mouth and one for her eye. Her body shuddered from each blow, but surprisingly, Ronnie Anne was still defiant despite her lip swelling up and her eye darkening.

Glaring at the teen, "Is that the best you got?!"

"Oh, you want more huh?" Hawk sneered, cracking his knuckles. Ronnie Anne responded by spitting some blood into his face. Hawk grimaced in disgust while Hank let out a belly laugh. Hawk took a second to wipe his face before furrowing his brows, and promptly snatched her from Hank by her ponytail. "So, you like spitting blood do ya?" He walked across the street towards some cans that had flies swarming around them. The stench was enough to make the tomboy cover her nose. "Well, hope ya like eating trash!"

Ronnie Anne widened her eyes before Hawk shoved her face first into the can, shutting it with the lid. For added measure, and to make sure she didn't come back, Hawk picked up said can and shook it vigorously before kicking it down the street.

The can rolled roughly an entire block, even nearly getting hit by a car, before being abruptly stopped by a light post. A loud moan was heard before Ronnie Anne groggily popped the lid off. The world was spinning in her eyes and a few more bruises appeared on her face due to the little trip she took. Her eye also appeared darker with the fist imprint much more visible. The Latina groggily stood herself up, using the post for balance. Ronnie Anne felt her stomach give some rather unsettling noises, giving a few kicks and flips in the process. Her face turned a light shade of green as she gave a few dry heaves due to her throat suddenly feeling shorter. It wasn't long until Ronnie Anne clamped a hand over her mouth before emptying her stomach onto the ground.

* * *

At Royal Woods High, the student body had just been released to go about their daily activities. Among them were new best friends Lori and Carol, who were discussing what they could do at the mall. Lori was in a much better mood these days, especially with it seeming evident that Lincoln was quite close to returning home. At least, that's the vibe she picked up from the group text Lynn told her and their other sisters. It was just as well too, as Lincoln now had a bed and dresser ready for him in his room. It almost looked like he never left, but the neatness of the room along with the storage bins still served as a reminder of what happened with the original furniture.

"Do you think I should buy a cake for him?" Lori absentmindedly questioned.

"Hmm?" Carol asked, putting her bag and purse in the back seat of her car.

"I was thinking we could get a cake for Lincoln returning home. I mean, I'm betting dad's going to make one himself, but I doubt he'd have the time. Not sure if Lynn told them in another text."

"If you want to, I don't see the harm in it. Plus, it's a lot quicker to just buy it from the store than make one. Like, I love my grandmother's cakes, but those take _hours_! But on the plus side, she makes some _really good_ chocolate cake."

Lori felt a little bit of drool form in her mouth at the mention of chocolate. Silver lining? It just gave her an answer as to what flavor to get. After all, in her opinion, the girls still needed to pay Lincoln back for eating up his school project that one time.

Carol heard a buzzing sound in her purse, and calmly ducked into the car to take her phone out. Lori noticed too, but gave a shrug. She figured it might just be a message from one of her other gal pals or her boyfriend, hence the smile on her face. The Loud raised an eyebrow upon noticing the frown on her friend's face.

"Sorry Lori, but I gotta go. Like, right now."

"What's wrong?"

"My brother has is having a bullying problem, and I need to sort it out. The way he put caps on 'urgent' means he's serious." Carol explained as she started getting into the driver seat.

"Wait a sec." Lori ran over to the passenger side and opened the door. "Let me come with you. I used to do the same thing for my younger sisters and brother, at least until Lynn somehow took over that job."

"More the merrier. Now hang onto something, cause I'm about to drive like my grandpa."

Lori didn't get that the meaning of that, but immediately wished she strapped herself in the second the forward momentum of the car shoved her back into the seat. Carol sped down the parking lot, tires screeching in their wake. A few students had to jump out the way before the car sped onto the road and Carol took off down the street. After getting her seatbelt on, Lori passed a glance at Carol. The other blonde had a fierce look of determination on her that Lori hadn't seen before, sort of akin to a mother coming to protect their child. A sudden chill went up Lori's spine as she imagined what Carol might look like if she was actually pissed; she was usually a nice person who could get firm, but never truly angry.

Too bad the oldest Loud sibling never realized what she was about to witness...

* * *

Lincoln still held that shocked look of his after being forced to witness perhaps the first time Ronnie Anne actually lost a fight. It shouldn't have been surprising due to the size advantage Hank and Hawk had, along with their strength. It was actually courageous of her to be so willing to defend him despite being badly outclassed. She even managed to cause a few injuries. But seeing her getting hit like that and being tossed into the garbage was something Lincoln doubted he'd ever un-see. When the can rolled out of sight, he grew even more worried for her, and at the same time...got a spike in aggression...

While the 11 year old didn't fully understand the whole 'boyfriend/girlfriend' thing, he at least knew one part of it was that each partner would be there to protect one another. Ronnie Anne certainly did her part, but what about him? All Lincoln did was get pushed around and hung like a piñata. One of Lincoln's eyes twitched a little as what he witnessed kept playing in his head. If he wasn't stuck on that pole right now, he certainly would've tried preventing what occurred; possibly even giving Ronnie Anne a chance to break free and do more damage. But he was too stunned to do anything, and that made him feel sick to his stomach. But one thing was certain though...he was going to try and get as many cheap shots in as he could.

The Loud didn't even realize how angry he was looking until Hawk called him out. "Aw, is the widdle twerp mad we tossed his girlfriend away?" He spoke in a babying tone.

Lincoln curled his hands tighter, biting his lip as his face turn a light shade of red. "You wouldn't be so tough if I wasn't stuck up here!" The words left him before he could stop himself.

"Hah. You were just as much of a wimp even _before_ I hung you up." Hank added. "But since you want down..." He put his hand on Lincoln's head and pressed down on him until his feet touched the ground. Lincoln cringed in pain as his undies gave him a massive wedgie, then was sent flying upward once Hank released him. With his underpants still stuck on the metal pedal, the boy just wound up bouncing against it, causing some pain to his back. The bullies laughed as the boy looked like a makeshift paddle ball.

After getting over the soreness, Lincoln parts his lips to show his teeth grinding together. Visible steam was coming off his head, to which the bullies just scoffed at.

"Nice job bro. You made him mad!" Hawk chuckled. Hank stifled a laugh before using Conner as an armrest. The Pingrey boy winced upon the weight settling on him.

"Tell ya what, I'll let ya get one free shot at me. If you make it a good one, I'll let ya go." Hawk told him, before folding his hands behind his back and leaning his face to within Lincoln's arm reach.

Lincoln pondered whether he should really do it, given that the bully was so inclined to let him swing freely. As he raised his fist, he gave a side glance to Conner, who shook his head as if telling him not to do it. Lincoln's anger momentarily faded upon debating with that decision; but upon looking in the direction where Ronnie Anne had rolled to, along with the general treatment he had been receiving from these two brutes, anger was telling Lincoln to go for it. And consequences be damned, he was gonna make his shot count.

Sadly, as the Loud reeled his arm back for a hook, Hawk quickly leaned back and smashed his fist into Lincoln's chest. The boy let out a scream that mirrored his namesake, possibly attracting nearby persons. Any sort of adrenaline the boy was building quickly left him, along with all that anger he stored up. Lincoln drew in a sharp breath to draw air back in, his body hanging limp against the fence as pain overtook his abdomen and back.

"Alright, I'm gettin' bored. But before we go, remember what happened that time you tried stealin' our candy?" Hawk grabbed Lincoln by his shirt, pulling him away from the metal fence until enough tension caused his undies to rip. Hank seemed to get the idea, grinning at Conner as he pulled him off the fence.

"N-No please! I-I don't wanna be a human pretzel!" Lincoln begged as Hawk held his legs together.

"What's a human pretzel?" Conner asked, fear evident in his tone.

"Oh, you'll find out." Hank replied.

Then, something banged on the metal fence that drew everyone's attention. Turning to their right, the bullies and the two 11 year olds were surprised to see a bruised and bloodied Lynn Loud glaring at the two bullies. Her stance made it clear that she was having a difficult time standing up straight. "Put. Them. Down..." Her ragged voice made it even more clear that she was in no mood for their crap, much less in a condition to fight.

"Geez, you lose a fight?" Hawk asked.

"No. They lost." Lincoln and Conner's eyes widened at that. "And I'm gonna bat those stupid heads of yours to the next few blocks if you don't put them down!" Lynn spoke through gritted teeth. Her rage was erupting like a volcano after a quick survey of what happened. Lincoln was injured and bleeding a bit (which ticked her off to no end), Conner was also injured, and Ronnie Anne was no where to be found. She spotted her backpack near some toppled over trash cans and figured that may have something to do with it though.

The jock remembered those two knuckleheads clear as day. The same guys who messed up her ankle during football, and the same ones who nearly ruined Halloween for everyone on her street. Well, at least now Lynn would get to return the favor.

"Hey Hawk, isn't she that same kid whose ankle we busted back in football?" Hank asked, scratching his hair.

"Heck yeah she is. And lookin' at that leg, we left a mark." Hawk chuckled, dropping Lincoln like he was a sack of lead.

Lincoln couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt from that. He thought Lynn's heel would've healed fully by now after biting it, but it seemed she still had some pain every now and then.

"Well, if you were lookin' for a fight, you've come to the right place." Hank stated, pushing Conner into the bushes into he was stuck halfway in. The boy kicked his feet around as he tried to find level ground.

"Do you even think you stand a chance against us with how messed up you look right now?" Hawk asked, cracking his knuckles.

"Oh, I've been through worse." Lynn gave a rare grin before taking off at them as fast as her body allowed. Once the fight started, Lincoln began trying to pull Conner out of the bushes, only pausing every few moments to glance at the combatants.

Both bullies readied themselves for the assault, still confident that they could easily win. However, even though Lynn was damaged and tired, she still had some tricks up her sleeves. Just before they could attack first, Lynn partially climbed on the fence and jumped onto Hawk, being quick strike him as much as she could with the bat. As he stumbled around trying to get him off, Hank reached over and yanked her off his brother. But before he could deliver a swift punch to her face, Lynn was quicker and kicked under his chin. She then delivered a bat strike to his gut, but this didn't seem to do much damage (likely because of how many fat layers there were). So instead, she went for his legs, kicking them out from under him. A process began to take place, in which Lynn would divide her attention between the two bullies. As soon as one was down, the other would get back up, only to be knocked down again.

Fighting between two opponents was much easier than dealing with 5, but Lynn would soon realize just how hard it is if you're bruised and tired. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't permanently keep them down. They'd just keep getting back up for more. As the fight went on, Lincoln became worried as he studied Lynn's movements. She seemed to be moving relatively fast at first, but she was getting slower and slower as it dragged on.

 _"She's gonna run out of gas soon..."_ Lincoln thought to himself, shuddering a little. _"Can someone_ PLEASE _come and help us before that happens?..."_

Focusing back on Hawk, who was now pissed due to getting another bad strike to the face, took a swing a swing at her head. Lynn responded by ducking under the arm and delivering another hit to his head with her bat. Unfortunately, she didn't hit him hard enough to earn a stun, which allowed the spikey-haired teen to grab the weapon while Lynn still held onto it and tossed her at the fence. Lynn screamed out upon the impact, sliding down to the ground. Shaking her head, Lynn tried to stand up, only for Hank to elbow drop right onto her. The 13 year old let out a massive scream when this happened, so much that Lincoln jolted and accidentally pulled Conner out right on top of him. When that impact occurred, her legs were the most exposed part of her body that was in contact with the ground, and Hank's weight landed directly on her already injured right leg. Lynn could feel her shin bone breaking into pieces, but the bullies didn't care.

Hank lifted her up as pain-filled tears started pouring out of Lynn's eyes. She squirmed within his grip until she got slammed onto the hood of the car, making a sizable dent in the process. Whilst Lynn tried to break free from his grip, the bullies started laying into her face and chest. The jock wailed in agony with each blow she took, which always got interrupted when Lynn took a hit to the abdomen. Lincoln and Conner subconsciously shook each time they saw the brutes hit the 13 year old, the Loud wanting to cry himself for being unable to do anything about it. He watched as Lynn's feet continued to kick out with a lot of energy, proving she still had some fight left in her.

Sadly, that energy quickly faded to the point they just lied limp against the face of the car. Lincoln was so focused on this traumatizing scene that he didn't notice the another car pulling up from around the corner. Conner did though, and directed Lincoln's attention. They sucked in a surprised breath as two particular people got out.

"Gotta admit…" Hank huffed. "She was pretty good."

"Yeah, but not as good as us." Hawk added, feeling pretty beat himself.

Both of them had some bruises thanks to Lynn using a bat on them, including some teeth missing from their mouths. However, none of them looked more worse for wear than the sporty Loud herself. Her face was marred with purple bruises, had blood draining from her mouth due to forced teeth removal, blood was pooling out of her broken nose, her left eye was swollen shut, and her hair was a complete mess with the ponytail completely undone. There was no telling what kind of damage was done to her chest, but judging from her labored breaths, it was safe to assume Lynn also had a few ribs cracked. Through it all, the 13 year old gave a weak moan, showing that she was barely conscious.

Suddenly, Hank felt a hot breath hitting the back of his neck. "Dude, is that you?"

"Bro, I'm standing right here..." Hawk gave a side glance.

Both brutes turned their heads, staring up at two extremely livid 17 year old blondes. Lori and Carol's their pupils were whited out in rage and their faces beet red. The girls parted their lips to reveal a set of shark-like teeth, a feral growl escaping them as they cracked their knuckles. Before they could even get a word in, the girls jumped them, pinning the two boys to the ground and started beating them so hard their mother might wish she swallowed instead. Lincoln and Conner gawked at the scene before them, but Lincoln then turned to his 5th oldest sister, who slid off the car and onto the ground. Lynn didn't even bother catching herself, landing on her stomach in a heap.

Running over to her, Lincoln got on his knees and turned her onto her back. He rested her head in his lap, tears slipping out of his eyes as he got a good look at all of her injuries. "Lynn please tell me you're still awake!"

"Mmmmmm...L-Lincoln?..." Came the jock's quiet voice. She opened her good eye just enough to see her brother's face, with Lincoln in return grimacing at how red it was. "I'm sorry Linc...I tried..." Tears started coming out of Lynn's eye. "I...tried..."

"Lynn, it's ok. You're gonna be fine now...I hope..." Lincoln momentarily looked away from Lynn, watching as Carol was in the process of choking out Hank with Lori turning Hawk into a literal human pretzel. He looked back down at Lynn when he felt her head good limp against him. "Lynn?!...LYNN?!" The boy screamed her name.

Lynn did hear him, but was too weak to give a response as her world started to fade out. With her brain shutting down, the last thing she heard was Lincoln's muffled yelling before her entire world faded into darkness.

* * *

Lynn's mind was blank, stuck in a void that seemingly lead to nowhere. The sporty Loud didn't know how much time had passed since she fell asleep, but preferred to stay in her comatose state as her body couldn't deal with the amount of pain it was going through. However, now that she thought about it, the pain seemed to be dull or nonexistent. Not only that, there was a weird aroma filling her nostrils. A faint beeping was suddenly being registered in her brain, which she ignored for a minute. Once it started getting louder though, she started to get annoyed.

 _"Ugh...what is that stupid sound?..."_ Lynn groaned inwardly.

Shaking her head slightly, the jock felt something soft underneath it. Creaking her eyes open, Lynn blinked a few times, sucking in a sharp breath before opening them fully. Well, her right eye that is. The left one refused to open completely, but at least she could see out of it. Lynn gingerly moved her head as it was a little painful to move her neck, seeing some medical equipment like an IV tube and a heart monitor on her right side. She also saw another tube that appeared to go right up to her face. As best she could, Lynn looked down at her nose, seeing something attached to it. No wonder something smelt funny. Shifting her gaze to her body, the jock saw she was in a hospital gown and that her right leg was suspended in a cast. Using her left hand, Lynn poked at her chest, wincing a little upon doing so.

"Yep...those still hurt..." She said to herself.

It was then that Lynn finally noticed a ball of white lying on the left side of her bed where her arm was, a snore coming from it every few seconds. Lincoln was in a chair and had his head resting on the empty space. It looked a little uncomfortable with how hunched over he was, but Lynn doubted that he cared. Lifting her hand, she placed it on his head and gently ruffled the boy's hair. After a few moments, Lincoln moved on his own and lifted his head. He had a few bandages on his face along with cotton balls stuffed in his nose. The nose itself had a bandage on it that Lynn assumed he got after it was corrected.

Lincoln looked at Lynn. "..."

"Hey..." She smiled.

Lincoln got from his chair and brought her into a hug, being careful of her chest injuries. Lynn did the best she could to return it.

"How are you feelin'?" The older girl asked.

"I should be asking you that. You have a leg cast after all."

"Well, to answer that..." Lynn frowned, looking down at herself. "I feel shitty...I made a promise to protect you, and not an hour later, I fail to even do that..." The brunette let out a sniffle. "How am I supposed to call myself a good sister if I can't even protect my own brother?..."

Lincoln grasped her hand. "Lynn...remember what you told me at school today? You said I should stop blaming myself for what happened. I still can't help but feel at fault for..."He gestured to himself and Lynn. "All of this...but you did your best and you didn't give up, no matter how beaten and tired you were. I didn't expect those guys from last Halloween to show up, but I'm still surprised you managed to beat those other guys and get into a fight with _them_ afterwards."

Lynn curled her lips upward slightly. "Let's just say, the pushed the wrong button when they had me pinned." She frowned upon remembering being pinned against the car and being given a heavy dose of fist. Looking back at her brother, "It doesn't look _too_ bad, does it?"

Lincoln didn't answer, simply reaching over to a table where a hand-held mirror lie in wait. He showed Lynn her reflection, and Lynn couldn't help but cringe at her own face. Her eye was less swollen, but still purple, and so were other parts of her face. Daring to open her mouth, she was a bit surprised to see only a few teeth missing. But man did her mouth hurt like hell before she was put under. Her nose also had a bandage on it like Lincoln's, and she could care less about how her hair looked right now.

The door creaked open, getting the kids' attention. To Lynn's surprising, it was Maria. "Oh good, you're both awake. Is everything ok Lynn?" She asked, walking over to the equipment next to the bed to make sure it was working properly.

Lynn deadpanned a little. "Do I _look_ ok? My chest hurts and I can barely feel my leg here." She took the mirror, staring back at her reflection more clearly. "Geez...what did they do to me?..."

Maria knelt down at the foot of the bed, grabbing a clipboard that was sitting on a small shelf. The nurse started flipping through the papers. "Aside from it being obvious that your shin bone broke into 3 pieces, 4 of your ribs were fractured, your jawline was almost disjointed (and it's amazing you can speak clearly right now), some teeth were removed (you'll need to see a dentist for that), you also had a moderate concussion and some surprisingly, small spinal damage."

Lincoln went wide eyed at that long list. To think those bullies could do all that...the boy shuddered as he thought back to when Lynn fell asleep in his lap with all those injuries. What if she never woke up? What if the ambulance came too late to save her?...

Sensing her brother's distress, Lynn decided to change the subject. "Alright alright, it sucks..." She put the mirror down. "...How long was I out of it? I thought for sure those guys would come after you again..."

Lincoln gave a frown of his own. "A few hours. Right after those big guys stopped hitting you, Lori and Carol showed up and..." Lincoln looked a bit uneasy. "Let's just say those guys are lucky to still be alive right now. After they were done, and Lori had to pull Carol off of the one with the jacket before she actually...k-killed him...we all heard sirens coming and it turns out it was..." Lincoln bit his lip. "It was the police..."

"What?!" Lynn nearly shouted, leaning up a bit in her bed. She gave a pained look as she did so, prompting Lincoln to adjust her bed a bit. "Thanks. Now, why did _they_ show up?"

"Someone called about those guys chasing me and Conner destroying property, and then they saw Lori and Carol beating up those other bullies. So...they all got arrested, including our sister and Carol."

Lynn's mouth dropped at that bit of news. "B-bu...but why?! All they did was just come and protect us!"

"I know that, but the police officer wanted to bring them in to ask questions. Then, they loaded me, you, Conner, and Ronnie Anne into one ambulance while those bullies were put in another."

The jock frowned. "They don't even deserve help..." Lynn looked around the room, noticing they were the only one's there. "Where's everyone else? Do mom and dad know?"

Lincoln nodded. "Ronnie Anne was taken home by her mom because she got sick after rolling around in the trash. Conner was looked at-"

"Wait, who's Conner?"

"The other boy I was with. He's Carol's brother." Lynn mouthed an 'O'. "He was looked at and the doctor said he was free to go. He also said I could go, but I wanted to stay..." Lincoln stared at the bed. "I called our house and told mom everything. I had to pull the phone from my ear because of how loud she was crying. She also sounded _really_ mad...but last thing I heard was that she and dad were going to the police station to get things cleared up. Conner also called his mom and she was just as angry. Not only that, Mrs. Santiago was extremely upset, and there's no telling what her dad is gonna have to say about it, or even Bobby..."

"I think we can all agree those hooligans are going to pay..." Maria spoke in a threatening tone, putting the clipboard back. She moved to check the IV bag, making a note that it would need to be changed.

Lynn stayed silent as she digested all of that information. "Did you hear from our sisters?"

The boy shook his head, removing his cotton plugs. Seeing there was little to no blood on them, the boy dumped them in the trash. "No...but I'm gonna assume they were-" Lincoln stopped upon hearing a stampede of feet coming down the hall.

Maria went wide eyed and quickly ran to the door, stepping outside to halt the horde of people. The kids raised an brow in confusion as they heard the nurse scolding whoever was outside, no doubt that it was about them making so much noise when other patients could be sleeping. Several female voices were then heard uttering apologies.

Maria slowly opened the door again. "Ok, now I want you girls to remain calm, and-" She was promptly pushed out of the way by a herd of concerned Loud sisters. Maria gave an annoyed stare as she fixed herself. "So glad I don't have that many kids..." The Latina muttered as she walked out and shut the door behind her, none of the girls ever hearing that comment.

They gasped upon seeing the injuries to their siblings, especially Lynn's. As usual with the Loud siblings, they surrounded the pair and began asking their own questions as to what happened. The twins hugged Lincoln and Leni sat Lily on the bed, who immediately hugged Lynn's arm. They got louder as they kept trying to talk over each other, to which Lynn made a scowl. She already had a headache coming on with what Lincoln just told her, she didn't need 8 girls screaming in her ear right now.

"Guys, shut up for a 5 minutes! Please!" She shouted, coughing a bit as she strained her voice. They muttered apologies before Lynn spoke again. "Look, I get it. You're all worried and wanna know the score, but for once, I can't handle 7 people talking..."

A knock at the door got everyone's attention. Maria poked her head in. "Sorry to interrupt, but this ma'am needs to ask Lynn and Lincoln a few questions." She moved aside as a police officer calmly walked into the room. She was relatively short, about Leni or Luna's height, and had her brown hair tied back in a neat ponytail.

"Hello kids, my name is Officer Schoffner. Now, there isn't any need to panic. Myself and other officers got multiple reports of property damage as well as a few fights occurring at the town park this afternoon. Among those are who I assume are your sisters, who are still at the office giving their statements." She took out a notepad and a pen. "Now, since you two were also directly involved, I want you to tell me, as best you can, what exactly happened."

* * *

Royal Woods Police Department was running on a 'business as usual' schedule, even with numerous officers spread around town to gather witness statements about the assault cases and property damage that took place that afternoon. Because of the low crime rate, most of the cells in the building were empty, aside from the occasional thief, tax evader, and jay walker. In one of those cells, Lori and Carol were waiting patiently for the police to make their final decision. Their parents were already at the station, no doubt demanding the release of their daughters, but it wasn't that simple. Like all justice departments, they take assault cases quite serious, and wanted to gather as much information as possible. The two teens already told their side of the story, so it was just a matter of getting from everyone else involved.

Lori was sitting on a bench, her arms folded as she leaned back on the wall. She wasn't too concerned about being arrested as much as she was worried about the condition of her brother and sister. Lincoln didn't look as bad, but Lynn...

Just remembering the state the jock was in was enough to make Lori give a deep frown. She gripped her shoulders tight as a wave of anger washed over her. "Wish I had more time to literally rip his face in two..." She muttered to herself. Her hands were no longer filthy of the blood they gained from punishing Hawk, but the slight bruising was still visible.

"This is bad...this is sooo bad!..." Carol stammered as she paced around the cell. She had been doing that since they been taken in. Granted, it was an immense shock to both girls when the cops slapped handcuffs on them, but Lori stopped worrying when it became clear they weren't in immediate danger of being put in orange jumpsuits. Carol on the other hand...

"I'm too young for jail! I won't last 5 minutes in there! I didn't mean to nearly kill that guy, but he just..." She gripped her hair in frustration. Like Lori, Carol also had some slight bruising on her hands; they were more evident on her palms, given what she had been doing with them.

Lori closed her eyes in an attempt to stave off the growing irritation she was feeling. "Carol..."

"They're probably gonna make us do six months for we did..."

"Carol..." Lori opened her eyes again, knitting her brows together.

"I won't even get a chance to say goodbye to Cassy and Conner!"

"Carol!" Lori shouted, probably louder than she wanted to. The other girl flinched and looked at her. Lori patted the space next to her. "Come sit for a sec."

Carol meekly nodded and gingerly sat down. "Look, I know you're worried about what's gonna happen. I'm fairly aware of how assault cases go after watching enough of Judge Judy on TV. But, I doubt they'll actually send us to jail." Lori turned to fully face her. "We're not the ones who victimized a bunch of little kids just for fun. We came in and put an end to all the shit they were doing to them."

Carol rubbed her arm, biting her lower lip. "B-But...I nearly killed him..."

"I know. That's why I had to stop you before you broke his neck completely. I understand how you feel though..." Lori gazed at the ground. "When we got out and I saw my brother the way he was...and Lynn..." She shook a little. "The only thing I wanted to do was tear them both apart until they were nothing but paste. And for a few moments, that was all I cared about. But then I remembered that I needed to get my siblings to a hospital ASAP. Plus, it wouldn't do me any good if there was a murder charge on my head..." The Loud turned her attention back to Carol. "I gotta admit though, that was actually the first time I saw you go into a total rage fit. I think you literally lost yourself in it too. When I intervened, you wouldn't stop struggling for 3 minutes until you finally came back to earth. That officer was literally going to taze you if I hadn't snapped you out of it."

Carol blushed a bit, moving a strand of hair by her ear. "...When I saw Conner all bruised like that...I just couldn't help myself..." She leaned back, staring at the ceiling. The blonde focused on a moth that kept trying to get into the light panel above. "I've been looking after my siblings since they were in diapers, and while Cassy is a bit distant from me these days, I've always been close to Conner and helped him with anything he needed. Even during times he just makes me mad. I guess I kinda felt like mom for a while you know?"

Lori nodded. "I've had to do that with 10 siblings, and one of them is still a baby."

"Maybe I went a little overboard..." Carol looked back at Lori. "But he still deserved to get his ass kicked..."

"Not arguing there. But your brother only had some scratches and a few bruises. I doubt I could stop you if he was like how Lynn was..." Thinking of her 4th younger sister again, Lori gave a depressing sigh. "I hope she's doing ok..."

Carol put a hand on Lori's shoulder. "I'm sure she is. The ambulance showed up not long after the cops did."

The sound of boots meeting tile got their attention, and it wasn't long before an officer stopped by their cell. A set of keys were in his hand, much to the girls' hopefulness and confusion. "Loud, Pingrey, you're free to go. Looks like your story matches up with the other witnesses."

"What other witnesses?" Lori asked.

"The other kids involved in the fight." The officer unlocked the door and opened the cell, letting the teens walk out. "However, we don't have the statements from those two boys you both attacked, since they're still under heavy medical treatment. Several other persons who witnessed the event also have similar claims. As such, we see no reason to keep you two here, but as an advisory, there may be a hearing about this."

This didn't sit well with the teens, but at least the worry of spending the night in jail was no longer a factor. The blondes followed the officer to the lobby, and were immediately greeted by the waiting arms of their respective parents.

"Oh my baby!" Rita cried out, bringing Lori into a bear hug.

Lori's cheeks puffed up a bit as air tried to escape her. "Mom! Can't breathe!"

"Sweetie what happened?!" Lynn Sr. asked. "Do you know how junior and Lincoln are doing?!"

"Wait," Lori pushed herself out of her mom's embrace. "You guys haven't been to the hospital yet?"

"No..." Rita stated, sagging her shoulders a bit. "We dropped the girls off first, then came straight here. We were gonna stop by after it was clear we couldn't do anything to get you out tonight."

Lori became a little uneasy. "Well, Lincoln and Lynn are..." The teen paused, unsure of how to break it down for them. Even she was unaware of their condition, and at the same time, telling her parents what Lynn looked like before being taken in would cause them to break down in tears, delaying their trip even more. Grasping her arms as if she was cold, "I think it's best if you see it for yourself..."

"Um, excuse us." Mrs. Pingrey called out, making the Louds turn to her. Her stance showed that she was a tad nervous about what she was about to say. "Do you mind if we come along? I need to thank the girl who protected my little boy."

Rita and Lynn looked at each other before the father gave a small shrug. "I don't see the harm in it."

* * *

"And so here we are, with me stuck in bed and Lincoln sitting with a fixed nose." Lynn folded her arms as she finished her tale.

Schoffner nodded, taking a quick moment to read over her notes before pocketing the notepad. "Alright, that certainly explains a lot. Thank you for your time kids." She immediately turned heel and walked out the door with Maria following. They could hear the buzzing of a radio, to which Schoffner seemed to answer to, but this faded away soon enough.

Lynn gave a side glance to Lincoln "I didn't know a certain brat was the reason those baseball jerks were chasing you..."

Lola gritted her teeth. "I'm going to make him _pay_ for this!" She glanced at Lincoln. "Actually, on second thought, _you_ should kick his butt again Linky!"

"Yeah! That would be awesome!" Lana piped up. "Shove some mud in his mouth too!"

"May he rest in pieces..." Lucy agreed.

"Normally I would say violence is never a solution, but in this case, it is perfectly warranted." Lisa quipped.

"You could also add jokes about his style and hair!" Luan laughed.

"Nothing goes wrong with making someone hear a ringin' in their ears, especially if they earned it." Luna was next to say.

"Oh! You can force him to wear mismatched clothing!" Everyone looked at Leni, who gave a confused stare in return. "What? Yellow with green? Just, ew!"

Lincoln scratched his cowlick in thought. Admittedly, the idea of sacking Chandler was very enticing; he had even more of a reason to do so now with his sister stuck in the hospital for possibly a month. However, the last time he did that, it just made Chandler want to strike back even harder. Plus, if he did manage to send him to the hospital...wouldn't that make Lincoln just as bad as Chandler was? The boy wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of people fearing him after all.

"As good as it sounds, I'm sorry girls but..." Lincoln leaned back in his chair. "I'm not going to fight him anymore."

A chorus of groans erupted around him. "Aw come on! Why?!" The princess begged.

"I'm just done with fighting Lola. And, I doubt me putting him in a state like Lynn would be good for everyone. I nearly did that in the park a couple weeks ago, and all it did was make Chandler cause me even _more_ problems." He tapped his foot on the chair leg. "Now that doesn't mean I don't want to get back at him. I still do, just...not that way..."

The girls sulked a bit. They were gonna be really happy if Lincoln went to town on Chandler again, but unlike most times, they wouldn't pressure him if they were against his idea. As Lincoln sat in thought, he gazed at the sad looks on his sisters, feeling a twinge of guilt about his decision. However, once he panned over to Luan, an idea popped in his head.

"Buuuuut, I have one idea on how we can pay him back. And I'm gonna need your help Luan."

The comedian raised a brow. "Why me?"

Lincoln grinned. "Let's just say, I think April Fools is gonna come early for Chandler this year."

Luan went wide eyed, a big smile forming on her face. "I thought I'd lose my touch before I'd ever hear you say those words." She chuckled.

"Wait, wasn't April Fools a month ago?" Leni innocently asked.

"It's like saying Christmas came early dude." Luna explained.

"Christmas can come early?!" The oldest blonde asked in excitement, prompting the musician to facepalm.

"Anyway, I'm gonna need a few days to plan it out at home. Don't want to miss a step after all." Lincoln added, standing up.

"Home?" Lucy asked in confusion. Her mouth gaped open as she thought what they possibly meant. "Y-You mean you're..."

"Yep." Lincoln put his hands on his waist. "I'm coming home. To _our_ home." The boy smiled warmly.

As Lincoln expected, it took a few seconds for the girls to register what he said, before loud, cheerful screams enveloped the entire room. The boy quickly found himself stuck in a massive group hug, with Lynn watching with a warm smile. Lincoln returned the hug as best he could, and he fully admitted to himself that he missed that feeling. To feel like a true sibling, to feel like an actual older and younger brother. To feel like a loved son. To feel like...a Loud...

It was practically foreign to him that he wished he never had a family like this, as those were the thoughts he had just a few weeks ago. It's quite funny how 3 weeks can cause a lot to happen and change many opinions about one's self. Gone were the days of resentment and anger. And now? Well, who would trade loving, protective sisters and dutiful parents for anything else in the world? Certainly not Lincoln Loud. And they certainly proved that he was worth more to them than he could've imagined.

 **A/N: And so concludes the main story of this fic. I had opinions about dividing the chapters into two parts, but after some advice, figured it would be best to keep it as one.**

 **I really enjoyed writing the characters during this story, from breaking down the Louds to building them back up. Just about everyone in that family had to take a good look at themselves after realizing what their idiocy caused, and what lengths they'd go to in order to fix them. However, out of everyone in this story, the ones who changed the most were Lincoln and Lynn.**

 **With Lincoln, I was unsure at times about making him extremely angry, as we've never seen him act this way in the show (outside of his head turning red). Sometimes his rant may come off as edgy, but then I remind myself that this is someone who feels like just about any good moments he had with his family meant little due to how they treated him lately. This also caused the bad moments to take the most attention. As for him swearing...kids will do this if they get frustrated enough. Play any multiplayer game and you'll occasionally hear some kid yelling obscenities for little reason. They're called squeakers for their high pitched whining.**

 **In the end, all that anger Lincoln held really just a front for a depressed little boy who was wondering where the kindness and care for his family went, slowly rediscovering it as time went on.**

 **As for Lynn, she was immensely fun to write. I feel that she and Lincoln have a close bond, but she has a hard time expressing it due to her aggressive and competitive nature. Most stories often make Lynn extremely monstrous after Lincoln fights with her over her accusations and drives him away, especially last year after the episode aired. So, I wanted to do away with that and have her take a serious path to redemption after truly realizing what she lost. She definitely won't be the same girl most know her for, and while Lincoln has forgiven her, it will take a long time for Lynn to forgive herself.**

 **Oh, and before people start to rage, Chandler will get what's coming to him in the epilogue. I would've wrote it in this chapter, but felt it was long enough. So stay tuned to see how THAT goes for him.**


	26. Epilogue

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, did not have time to immediately write the finisher for this fic as early as I wanted. Plus, working and taking some maintenance classes are keeping me pretty busy. Anyway, with all the chaos that occurred in the last chapter, everyone is beginning to heal from their wounds and tie up some loose ends that have yet to receive their comeuppance. From then, who knows what will happen to the Louds, Santiagoes, and Pingreys. Time will certainly tell.**

 **Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.**

The past three days nearly went by in a blur, but it was filled with constant activity and gossip. Word of the two fights made it to the headlines within a few hours, spreading quite rapidly among social media to the point that roughly half the state at least acknowledged it. Judging from the reports given by all witnesses available (included the battered teens who tried to downplay the incident), it became clear to the police who was guilty and who was innocent. Outraged about what happened to their children, the parents of the Louds, Santiagos, and Pingreys started pressing charges. The police debated on whether the case would be heard in the juvenile or regular circuits, as the guilty party aged from 13-15. Taking into account the injuries given to Lynn and the other elementary-grade kids, it was decided to have the hearing take place in the regular courts. A hearing was to be scheduled within the coming weeks.

Mirroring their sentiments, the general consensus praised those who came to the defense of the smaller children; more specifically, Lynn Loud Jr. While she was slated to be bed ridden for roughly a month, the Loud was immediately visited by several of her peers who applauded her for her bravery, determination, and outright awesomeness. Lynn tried to not let it get to her head, but couldn't help bragging about some of her feats. It was quite comical to see her acting so happy despite her current state, though it may also be due to the fact Lynn had to take strong pain killers every 6 hours.

Lori and Carol also received the same treatment, as various members of their class felt their arrest was rather uncalled for and expressed their hopefulness that their respective siblings were doing ok. Not only that, while the two still weren't back into the usual swing of their relationship, Bobby did talk more with Lori than he previously did over the last two weeks. He also shared that Ronnie Anne was getting better, though she had trouble eating something without it coming back up.

With Conner, he was very thankful for Carol coming to his defense (though now he was very nervous about getting on her bad side). In a rare moment of happiness, Cassandra actually _hugged_ Conner. She still hadn't smiled, but told Conner she was quite unnerved at the thought of him winding up in the hospital. The Pingrey boy didn't feel as convinced since Cassy still lacked some emotion in her tone, but took it anyways.

As for Lincoln, in spite of his announcement to return home, he delayed it by a day in order to spend time with an ailing Ronnie Anne. Maria gave the school a note to have him take the rest of the week off so he could rest; though, there wasn't much resting for _this_ Loud. He still felt guilty about not doing anything to help Ronalda, even stating that he "failed to protect her as a boyfriend". Ronalda promptly gave him a light bop to the head when he said that, telling him that _she_ was supposed to protect _him_ , per Lynn's orders, not the other way around.

The tomboy even bragged about getting some good licks in before they stuffed her in the trash. The little Latina topped it off by telling Lincoln it wasn't his fault; getting blindsided before anything started could attest to that. Even more so, Ronnie Anne expressed her own worries about what would've happened to Lincoln since she was tossed down the street.

While Lynn intervened before those thoughts could come to pass, Ronnie Anne felt a hefty amount of guilt after seeing the state the jock was in before she was taken home. She reminded herself to pay Lynn a visit once she felt like she wasn't about to spray stomach bile everywhere. Regardless of her condition, it didn't stop Lincoln from just being there for the tomboy; Ronnie hated to admit it, but being treated like a princess did feel nice. Ronalda supposed it might have been due to the numerous times Lincoln had been forced to play butler for Lola; unlike the tea parties, he was actually enjoying himself, and Ronnie Anne didn't make him do meaningless tasks.

A day later, it was time for Lincoln to finally leave the house. Even though Ronnie Anne tried to take it in stride, Lincoln and Bobby caught a few tears leaving her eyes. Lincoln promised he'd call her every day, to which the Santiago girl grimaced slightly and told him to do it every 2 days _at the least_. Last thing anyone wanted was for them to wind up like Lori and Bobby and ride up the phone bills. She also had to fight the urge to leave a nice heart-shaped mark on his lips; having the taste of bile in your mouth was just horrible, so a tight hug sufficed.

All it took was 6 minutes worth of riding shotgun before Lincoln would see that familiar, old house with toys scattered on the lawn and roof. The boy breathed a content sigh. "Thanks for the ride Mr. Santiago."

"Any time Lincoln. 'Sides, not like I have to go in early today." Marcus chuckled. The two sat in silence for a moment. Since it was a short trip, Lincoln didn't have much on his mind besides the thoughts of spending time with his real family and feeling at home again for the first time in weeks.

"Ey..." Lincoln twisted his head back to Marcus. The older man twisted the wheel as they turned down another street. "I know you probably don't need to be told this, but make sure you take care of Ronalda, alright?"

Lincoln grew more confused by this, but Mr. Santiago wasn't finished. "I know she's at that age where she's trying to handle things herself more, but I know under all of that hard skin Ronalda claims to have, she's still the shy little girl I watched come into this world. The first time she got into a fight at school, everything about her changed. My little girl went from being quiet and timid to boastful and loud, a bit too much if you ask me. She used to be one to cause trouble, or go looking for it. In reality, she was just building up a wall to hide her _real_ feelings, saying it 'made her look weak'." Marcus shook his head. "I told her before that doing things that way would lead to problems later on, and now, it's obvious she has a difficult time expressing herself."

Lincoln couldn't deny him there, what with how Ronnie Anne continued to prank him despite the two being close friends after that 'date' in the French-Mexican restaurant. Now that we're on that subject, Lincoln started to think she probably could've just stayed distant from him in school and they'd chat after; it would've been _much_ less stressful than being embarrassed in front of his peers frequently. However, there was one little tidbit Ronnie Anne told him not long ago.

It was the day after Lincoln gained his new reputation. Pretty awkward with how Lincoln was probably near the bottom of the popularity chart (if there was one) just a few days ago, and now he was close to the top. The Loud asked her why their classmates were acting like he was the new school bully when he was still the same old nerd who loved Ace Savvy and played video games. The question popped up after Ronnie Anne clicked on a random video of a school brawl going on, with many students watching and cherring.

 _"Well Lame-O, the real answer is because everyone wants to act like they got something to hold over anyone else. Or, they just pick at others to make themselves feel better. Some may say 'liking or having this makes you cool', or 'if you like this thing, it makes you a nerd'. If there's one thing I've learned, people in our class can be like sharks and everyone else is a stupid fish. Someone goes after a guy or girl and picks on them for no reason other than a little laugh, and others will do the same because they think it's cool or funny. They also do it so_ they _don't get treated like the fresh meat."_

Lincoln recalled how Ronnie Anne developed a small frown almost immediately after. _"Sharks_ _usually aren't picky about who they target..." The tomboy then gave a smirk_. _"But when the fish they targeted suddenly fights back, the shark doesn't look so big, does he? And in your case Lincoln, I think it's due to you being a nerd for so long that (when you kicked Chandler's butt) anyone who had picked at you thought they'd be next." Ronnie Anne felt a twinge of regret run through her for moment._ _"Or felt like a big jerk..."_

She said that last part quietly, but it didn't go unnoticed. Lincoln would've said something about it, but Ronnie Anne pulled up another cop video. They shared another laugh before Lincoln got that text from Luna about going out to lunch.

Lincoln certainly didn't expect an analysis like that to come from Ronnie Anne of all people, but it has fairly accurate. He also didn't realize how deep her words went until their first actual date: she had went through the same thing. Since then, the Loud assumed, Ronalda had kept up the impression of a bully to ensure no one picked on her like in 4th grade; hence the 'wall' Marcus had mentioned.

 _"Guess she had been doing it for so long that she forgot how to talk to someone she wanted to be friends with.."_ Lincoln thought a little glumly. "But, she changed though. Ronnie Anne doesn't seem to think much about what everyone else thinks now. I mean, I guess she did at first due to what you just said, but what made her change?"

Mr. Santiago pulled down the visor above Lincoln's seat. "Look in the mirror, and you'll see the answer."

The boy looked up at his own reflection, eyes widening slightly as the hint finally sunk in.

"Don't know how you managed to do it son, but keep doing what you're doing. She could really use someone like you to keep her head on striaght."

"Um..." The Loud blushed a little. "T-Thanks..." Lincoln looked down at the dashboard. "How long do we have til we get to my house?"

"We're already here."

The 11 year old raised both eyebrows and looked out the window. Home looked the same as it always did: toys strewn everywhere, a family heirloom of a van sitting in what could count as a driveway, chipped paint and roof tiles hanging here and there...it made Lincoln feel warm all over.

"I know it's only been a few weeks, but man have I missed this place..."

"Good luck Lincoln, and stay safe." Marcus added as the boy got out. As Lincoln started to take his stuff out the back seat, "Oh, and if you need someone to law down the law with your folks, just give me a shout." The man gave a wide grin.

Lincoln chuckled nervously. "Thanks, but I don't think that'll be necessary." He shut the door, standing around for a brief moment until Mr. Santiago turned the corner. Looking back at the house, "Welp, here goes nothing." Lincoln muttered as he walked up the beaten path.

When he got to the front door, Lincoln twisted the knob out of habit, a bit surprised to find it was unlocked. Raising a brow, Lincoln opened the door to find the living room and dining room eerily darkened. "Hello?" The boy called out into the abyss. The light from the outside was making it hard to see anything, so Lincoln dragged his hand along the wall until he found the light switch.

Upon flipping it on, "SURPRISE!", was what greeted the boy.

Lincoln yelped, staggering back in a knee-jerk reaction until he found himself lying on top of his backpack. He tried to lean up to see who was there, beginning to regret packing so much stuff into that sack.

A hand grabbed his and pulled him up. "Sorry about that, sport." Lynn Sr. chuckled fidgetingly.

Once he could see foward, Lincoln saw the rest of his family there, along with Pop-Pop and (to the boy's surprise) Mr. Grouse. The living room was decorated with party favors, including a sign that said 'Welcome Back' strung up on the ceiling. Snacks were on a folding table next to the couch, in particular noting that one of the plates had some of his favorite treats on it. There was also a large chocolate cake sitting nestled inside a glass container that was pad-locked for reasons Lincoln could only guess.

"So, what's the party for?" Lincoln asked as his dad helped him to his feet. Stupid question, he knew, but it didn't hurt to ask.

"Since you were coming back today, we thought it'd be best to give you a warm welcome." Rita spoke in a tone matching her enthusiasm, bringing her son into a bear hug. "We're so sorry for driving you away sweetie!"

Lincoln chuckled a little. "I already forgave you at the park, and everyone else over the past week." His voice was muffled due to it being pushed into his mom's stomach. He pushed away from her a bit so he could breathe clearer. "But, you didn't have to do all of this."

"Yeah, we could have. But we would've been party poopers if we didn't." Luan piped up, laughing at her own joke. Most of the girls groaned, though Lynn Sr. and Lincoln stifled a laugh.

"We got your favorite snacks, a cake, some of your favorite comics," Leni spoke as she pointed out what was on the table. "Oh, and I think Lori got you this totes cute shirt!"

"Did she mention the cake?" Lola asked.

"She did..." Lori looked down at the princess. "Why do you think I bolted it shut?"

"Aw come on. Are you sure we can't have one little, eeney teensy slice?" Lana begged.

"No." The teen held firm, folding her arms. "I didn't get it just so you two could pig out. No one is cutting it first until Lincoln does, and I'm not going to remind you again."

"I had suggested that we wait until the weekend to perform this party, considering that this is still a school day." Lisa quipped.

Lana gave a sideways glance to the little genius. "Oh hush party pooper. You wanted this to happen as much as we did."

As everyone started to chat amongst themselves, Lincoln took another look around. All of his sisters were pretty excited, with a few starting an argument over the cake. Lily was playing around with Cliff over a set of baby keys Lucy was dangling over them, a rare sight in itself since Lucy was also giving a small smile. The boy grew a little confused when he glanced over at Pop-Pop chatting with Mr. Grouse; he was aware that Pop-Pop knew of what happened, but Mr. Grouse? Now that he thought about it, the door was open when he was giving his hate speech...

Shaking his head, Lincoln shoved that memory into the back of his mind, especially since the festivities were starting. He wasn't about to let the past ruin this moment. Still, he felt rather bad for Lynn; she'd have to skip out on doing much anything for several weeks, and given the state of her mouth, Lincoln was unsure if she would even be able to enjoy the treats he was seeing.

 _"I'll save her a big piece of cake after everyone's gotten their share. She really earned it."_ Lincoln spoke inwardly, getting out of his mom's grasp to chat with his sisters.

* * *

A few hours passed before the party started to wind down. Lincoln was lying on the newly crafted bed in his room, which he admitted was _way_ better than his previous one. It may have been due to sleeping on a couch for so long, but the mattress felt so soft to the point he nearly fell asleep as soon as his head touched fabric. The bed itself was slightly wider than expected, but stronger overall (to which the middle child thanked Leni greatly), and his dresser and desk looked like it came straight from the factory. It was funny to think that this very room used to be stripped bare to the point it looked more like a real closet than the bedroom it was intended to be.

Gazing up at his wardrobe, Lincoln noted the amount of Ace Savvy themed shirts hanging on the rack alongside his usual orange polos. "Lori really went all out, huh?" The boy spoke to himself. Breathing in deep, Lincoln let out a relieved sigh as he continued to lie in the domain that was once again his own.

A knock at the door interrupted it though, not that he minded. Swinging his feet out, Lincoln stood and tried to open the door, only to grow momentarily confused when it wouldn't budge. The boy groaned, slapping his forehead for his stupidity. "Oh, right. The lock."

Another new feature of his room is that the door finally had a new locking mechanism. Lola was the first to claim that she was the one who got it for him (Lana installed it though). The old one had been broken for so long due to the girls constantly barging into the room that it was nearly alien for Lincoln to have to unlock his own door. During that time, he grew to accept that the girls would trample on his privacy without warning, so he just kept it unlocked; lest they think he was ignoring them again. Now though, it seemed Lori spread the word about his privacy concerns and the girls promised to knock whenever they needed him.

Twisting the tumbler in the knob, Lincoln opened the door to see the smartest person in the house staring up at him. "Greetings elder brother, how are you doing so far?"

Lincoln shrugged. "Doing ok. Need help with something?"

Lisa shook her head. "Negative. I came to ask if you needed assistance in the planning of your prank."

"Prank?" Lincoln asked. The art of sudden realization smacked him in the face two seconds later. It nearly slipped his mind with all of the positive vibes going around lately. However, Lynn's absence was a grim reminder of what caused all of this to happen. "Oh, right. Nearly forgot." He chuckled nervously. "But, yeah, I'm gonna need _a lot_ of help for this since..." Lincoln rubbed the back of his head. "Every time I plan something, it goes haywire..."

"Probably because you forgot about minute details that would've been worth paying attention to." Lisa replied, waving her hand in a notion for Lincoln to follow her.

As they walked into the little genius' room, Lincoln noted that the room didn't look any different from when he left; aside from the large monitors on the desk and attached to the wall as if he was stepping into a security room. "Hey Lis', mind if I ask you something?"

"Ask away." The toddler jumped into her chair.

"What exactly were you doing for the past few weeks? I've met with just about everyone else in our family besides you and Lily since I was gone, yet I haven't heard from you _at all_. It wasn't like you could at least sent me a text or email, or..."

"I realized that myself, and I do apologize. I've been rather, busy, with the university as of late; along with doing business with some of my fellow scientists over important matters. I simply did not manage my time properly to make contact with you, but..." Lisa wheeled over to the stack of papers before handing them to Lincoln. "I did have the time to compile a list of favors that I owe you from the various experiments you've assisted me with."

Lincoln raised a brow before reading through the sheets. Some of the experiments and incidents listed were still fresh in his mind, but others were real headscratchers. According to what was stated, Lisa owed him roughly 150 favors. "Uh..." Lincoln smiled nervously. "Thanks Lisa, but you don't have to do all this."

"Perhaps not..." Lisa paused as her voice faltered a little, wheeling around to face him. Her eyes held a downcast look. "I still regret not helping you when you really needed someone to slap some logic into all of us..." The 4 year old looked at the floor as she continued with her thoughts. "Not a day went by that I kept thinking to myself that, if I had helped you before you reached the point where you snapped...none of this would've happened..." Her whole body flinched as light chill went up her spine. "I still can't believe I called this whole farce an interesting case study..."

"You still had science on the brain, so I guess that's how it helps you think (even though it's annoying sometimes)..." Lincoln gave a frown of his own. "But there's no telling what would've happened. You were the first person to realize all the luck was fake, but what if..." He gave a short pause as a horrid thought came up. "What if they tried to kick you out like they did to me? I mean, I was very mad that night, but I might've lost it completely if I heard they would try to kick you out too because of 'bad luck'..." Lincoln quoted with his fingers. He no longer had a difficult time saying those two words, but it still left a bad taste in his mouth.

Lisa hummed questioningly. "Victim of circumstance is a real possibility, and if that were the case, I would truly say that our family wouldn't be worth saving. I'm pretty certain you felt the same way after debating on whether you should contact the local authorities."

The boy gave a low nod. "...I didn't think it was worth seeing everyone getting put in an orphanage or mom and dad going to jail..."

"But, it still stands as a sign of what can happen when one reaches their breaking point." Lisa turned back around in her chair, starting the process of booting up her system. "It's quite sad and a bit appalling that all of us had to experience these tense 17 days to realize how imbecilic we were being; especially myself for falling for that trick in the first place..."

Lincoln walked up behind the chair, resting a hand on Lisa's head. "I was surprised too, but you're still pretty little Lis. Besides, "The boy smiled. " I forgave just about everyone back at the hospital."

Lisa cheeks heated up slightly as she bit her lip. "It's truly a mystery as to how you can be so forgiving dear brother, especially after everything that's happened to you; even more so to someone whose greatly wronged you or hasn't contacted you in the past 408 hours..."

Lincoln gave a shrug. "That's just how I am I guess. I thought I would be mad at you guys forever, but it didn't last. Like you said earlier this month, you tried and couldn't get through to them, so you gave up. Just because we haven't talked doesn't mean I should hold that against you."

Lisa stared down at her keyboard. "...I-EECK!" Lisa yelped as she was suddenly lifted out of the chair, her brother hugging her from behind.

"I still love you Lisa, and you really looked like you needed a hug." Lincoln chuckled. Lisa held her surprised gaze for a few more moments, before resting her hands against her brother's arms. She returned the hug as hest she could, smiling contently.

"I love you too, Lincoln."

"Got room for one more?" A teenaged voice slyly cut in.

Lincoln turned his head around, seeing his comedian of a sister leaning on the door frame. "Oh, hey Luan." He lowered his younger sister back into her chair. "What up?"

"Just thought the _expert_ ought to help with the planning." Luan replied as she walked in. "So," She leaned on the desk. "Think of anything yet?"

Lincoln shook his head. "I'm still trying to figure out how this is gonna work. But in order to do that, I need to figure out where Chandler usually goes during school..." Lincoln hummed as he tapped his chin. "Or, this prank could happen right _before_ school. That way, everyone can see it."

"That does sound reasonable. If he is aware that he's a wanted man, Chandler may attempt to use the crowd of students as cover." Lisa cracked her fingers before tying some sort of algorithm into the command console. "However, I can access the school's security system to pinpoint where and when he enters the campus on a daily basis."

"Ok, but is there a way to get him while he's in the crowd?" Lincoln voiced uneasily. "I don't wanna accidentally hit someone else with this idea..."

"Ah, not to worry Link." Luan piped up, ruffling the preteen's hair. "If I can l set up a trap to get you to set off multiple pranks at the same time, then I can definitely get my accuracy down to make him the star of the show. Besides, earlier this year, I had to deal with a few girls heckling me about my appearance." A smug grin was very evident on the comedian. "Guess who got the last laugh in the end?"

"Wait, didn't you come home nearly in tears a few times?" Lincoln pointed out.

Luan's grim faltered a little. "Yeeeaaaaaah….." She drew out, avoiding the stares of her two siblings. "But one important lesson about heckling someone is that you gotta be prepared to get served back what you can dish out. Guess you can say Chef Luan gave them the _main course_." She laughed to herself.

"Hmmm..." Lincoln rubbed his chin. He tried to recall some of the pranks Luan had pulled on the family during April Fools, though subconsciously they kept getting pushed into the back of his mind due to how distasteful the pranks had been. "Do you still have any videos of how you set up the pranks on your 'Christmas'?"

"Uhh…" Luan started. The memory of how she dealt with the tapes came fresh to mind: she took of all of Lincoln's embarrassing moments (and may or may not have included some of her prank videos), dumped them in a pile and used one of Lynn's bats to smash them to pieces. Then, she took the used film and burned it all on the grill; Lynn Sr. almost called the fire department when part of the backyard started to light up. The comedian rubbed one of her eyebrows instinctively, feeling the marker imprint as well as the uncomfortable lack of hair. "I got rid of the tapes since I'm trying to scale back...but I do remember _how_ I set up some of my pranks. I can make some changes if needed."

"Well, I have the rest of the week off, so we have plenty of time to figure this all out." Lincoln looked back at the monitors, which now showed various locations of the school through the hacked security cameras. Lincoln smiled a little after noticing one certain look-alike visible in a hallway. "Might even call a few friends to help."

* * *

It took a few days worth of careful planning, timing, and moving some equipment around, but it would all be worth it soon. Once identifying Chandler on the security feed, Lisa plotted his course throughout the day and took note of certain time frames where it would be best to spring their trap. The rotten redhead was within of the first group of students to reach the school, standing amongst the front so he'd be able to get inside as fast as possible and disappear within the crowds. If they didn't pull the prank on him there, Lisa figured they could shoot for recess. To her dismay, Chandler hadn't gone outside over the past few days, preferring to stick to the library. Lincoln frowned when he saw this, figuring that Chandler must've realized being out in the open would make him an easy target. Plus, the library was a bit of a sanctuary within the school; causing any trouble there would land anyone in detention. So, the white-haired Loud decided they would just have to get everything ready _before_ school started.

Keeping this idea in mind, Lincoln and Luan spent their next two days planning up their trap. They weren't the only ones aiding in the scheme however. In spite of being hesitant to do so, Lincoln asked Lori for Carol's number and invited Conner to his house. Unlike Lincoln, Conner only sustained a few injuries during the brawl, so he was cleared to go back to school the day after.

While Lincoln was still a little sore at the revelation of Conner playing a part in causing a bit of turbulence in the Loud's relationship, the Pingrey boy was unaware that Chandler had been taking photos of him at the time. Plus, Lincoln knew he'd feel a little guilty later on if he didn't let Conner aid in this revenge scheme. The blonde also gave some helpful tips about Chandler's demeanor; the redhead looked to be on the verge of crapping himself knowing that his plan had failed. The teens he hired hadn't dropped his name, which suited the kids just fine as they felt this was a personal matter they wanted to deal with. Ronnie Anne video chatted to give her own advice, seeing as she was still stuck at home due to her sickness. Maria said she should be fine by the middle of next week, but the tomboy was dreading the amount of work she'd have to do to catch up. They ran into a little snag when the kids realized they were missing one important piece to their puzzle, and Conner enlisted the help of his second oldest sister since she knew a friend.

And with all of that planning, it brings us to Friday morning, just an hour before school starts. Lori drove the group to school before she took the higher grade Louds to their campus. The plan was _almost_ put on hold as some teachers were already present, especially Principal Huggins. To combat this problem, Lola and Lana opted to keep Huggins distracted by playing 20 Questions; Lucy was to scare off any teachers from approaching Luan, Lincoln, and Conner. The trio set up their part of the prank just on the other side of the front doors whilst Lisa did her part at home; she gave the security cams a false view and hacked the automated sprinklers to be manually operated by the genius herself. Outside, Cassandra and Maggie were on the roof and on the main grounds respectively, setting up their parts for the trap. The group finished their work just as the first few buses were arriving.

Lincoln and Conner hid by the corner of an adjacent hallway, idly watching the front doors. Luan set up on the opposite side, her face somewhat illuminated by her phone.

"You sure this is gonna work Lincoln?" Conner whispered.

The Loud gave a low shrug. "I spent three days making sure it _should_. Plus, you're the one who suggested using a boot instead of a boxing glove."

"I hope it leaves a huge mark on his face..." The other boy muttered. "That'll teach that snot nosed jerk a thing or two..."

"Oh," Lincoln chuckled, almost darkly. "We're just getting started. After all that's happened, as Lisa put it, we're gonna teach him a harsh lesson about what happens when you mess with the wrong 'intellectuals'." He said the last word in an imitation of Lisa's lisp, to which Conner stifled a laugh.

The two boys ducked out of sight when they saw one of the school's security guards approaching. The guard didn't notice them, nor did he see Luan who managed to barely avoid being spotted. The trio watched carefully, hoping the guard didn't notice the little contraption that was hoisted to the ceiling. The guard brought out his keys, only to notice the way the lock was turned.

"Huh..." The man scratched his head. "Thought I locked this earlier." With a shrug, he sauntered back down the halls, the kids breathing a sigh of relief.

Lincoln unclipped a walkie-talkie from his pants. "Lisa, do you see Target Jerk?"

They two heard nothing but static before the 4 year's voice cut through it all. "Confirmed. He's in the middle of a large group of approximately 40 students. He'll be within range of the door momentarily."

"Perfect." Lincoln grinned, giving a thumbs up to Luan.

The comedian nodded, biting her lip in excitement as she watched her screen carefully. On the screen showed the view of two cameras: one was angled to watch the door, while the other was looking straight at the floor.

Soon enough, the doors opened as the first students walked in. An air of calmness surrounded them as they all knew the pains of school would be over in six hours. Lincoln and Conner acted like they were just chilling against the wall while Luan relaxed her posture. Tense seconds past as the comedian watched the students walking in, before the first camera centered on one particular student as he came through the doorway.

Chandler looked like he was calm, but he was anything but. He considered it a blessing that Lincoln was taking a few days off from school, knowing that the next time he met the Loud, it would be best if he had his will written out. The redhead was well aware that one of Lincoln's sisters was severely hurt in the incident, and in reference to what Lincoln told him right after he gave his face a makeover, the boy knew that certain death was coming for him.

The last few days were spent with Chandler just waiting for that one call from the police about his own involvement in the fights, how he bribed teens to beat up a couple of kids just for some petty revenge. To his surprise, even when the local news covered the incident, none of his parents had been asked anything by police. Not only that, it seemed Conner hadn't spoke a word of it despite his visible injuries. Still, he kept an eye over his shoulder at all times; not that he didn't have a choice. His other friends effectively left him to take his punishment after they put two-and-two together, not wanting to get caught up in the surge that would be Lincoln's rage.

It was at times like this he felt relieved to be packed in a group of students; blending in with the crowd usually ensured survival for single persons wishing to hide. And these were certainly the circumstances that called for it. Unfortunately for Chandler, all of the times he hid and ran from his troubles wouldn't save him in the end; nor did he consider how resourceful Lincoln could be.

Right when she felt he was within range, Luan tapped a red button on her screen. A small box attached to a pole was released from its host, swinging down towards the unsuspecting redhead. When Chandler noticed the incoming object, he was stuck still like a deer in headlights. His brain kicked back into gear at the last second, giving the boy only enough time to brace himself. He flinched when he heard a popping sound, but surprisingly, he didn't feel any pain. Opening his eyes, he saw the box had stopped just a few feet from his face.

Chandler took a moment to look up to see what it was attached to, before looking back at it. Raising a brow, he started to wonder why he shielded himself in the first place; the box was made of cardboard. At this point, other students were staring at what they believed was a failed prank. Chandler was about to leave, but then he noticed there was a small note taped to the opening.

"We know what you did?..." Change read to himself. Just above the lines, the redhead could see what appeared to be a camera lens.

Around the corner, Luan was staring back at the bewildered 5th grader's face through her phone. "Here comes the punch line. Or should I say, KICK!" She chuckled to herself as she pressed the button a second time.

Before he could've ever figured it out, Chandler found himself flying back through the front doors after a spring-loaded boot shot out of the box and bashed him in the face. The redhead grunted in pain as he tumbled on the ground for a few seconds, drawing the attention of the next batch of arriving students. Landing on his back, Chandler pushed himself up midway, revealing a black boot print covering the center of his face. Several students started to chuckle at the sight; this included Lucy and twins, who stood near the doors to watch the show.

Attempting to ignore them, Chandler grumbled as he started to stand up, only to find himself doused in water from the school's sprinklers. The boy sputtered and flailed as the water soaked him to the bone, gaining a few more laughs from the scattered students. A few feet away from the sidewalk, Cassy peaked out from behind a bush, giving a low smile as she flipped the switch of a fan sitting behind of a pile of hay. The powerful winds blew the wheat directly towards Chandler, sticking to him like glue. Once he was completed covered, the water and fans stopped, with a shocked redhead wondering where the heck the horse food came from. On top of that, why did it smell?...

If only a few were laughing before, the entire front lot of the school was howling with laughter right now. Nearly half the witnesses pulled out their phones to snap pictures whilst others pointed and made jokes at the redhead's expense. Chandler formed a scowl on his wheat-covered face, debating on what was worse: being covered in sticky hay, or the humiliation. Sadly, it wasn't over yet. Cassandra looked to the roof, giving a curt nod to Maggie. The teen nodded back before pulling the rope she held. Behind her, a large murder of crows cawwed loudly as they flew from their coop. They gathered about 20 feet into the air, scattering about before picking up the familiar scent of bird seed. Maggie gave a light chortle as she watched the birds of prey dive down, showing no fear towards the object meant to ward them off.

Hearing the loud cawing, the students looked up and saw the massive group of birds diving towards them. Those that were closest to Chandler scattered, using whatever they held as shields for their heads. As for the faux scarecrow, he gave a swift yelp and started taking off down the sidewalk; the flock followed with haste, drawing nearer by the second.

Near the entrance, Lola was on the ground holding her midsection. "Ohohoh man, my ribs!" She spoke in-between fits of laughter.

"Think we should've covered him in dog meat?" Lana asked, gesturing to Lucy.

"That would be nice, but crows are enough. I've seen the things they can do when in a group." The post stated monotonously. Pulling out a walkie talkie, Lucy pressed the receiver, frowning a bit as she shook the device to get rid of the static. "Lincoln, he turned right down the street."

"Guess Lisa was right about that too." Lincoln's voice answered back.

"Have I _ever_ been wrong before?" Lucy opened her mouth, but Lisa quickly added, "On second thought, don't answer that."

"Right? But I always turn _left_." Luan chuckled over the line. "Guess this means the final part of the prank is at play now."

As Chandler continued running frantically down the street, there was someone lying in wait behind a tree just up ahead. Ronnie Anne gave a heavy sigh to herself, her stuffed nose making it rather uncomfortable to breathe normally. A cough escaped her, the 11 year old cringing a bit at the familiar feeling of something building up in her throat. The tomboy took a deep breath before hacking out some mucus, letting out a few more coughs to clear her throat. The sounds of panicked screams reached her ears, making the 11 year old grin with anticipation.

"Ugh. Mom is gonna kill me later, but this is gonna be worth it." Ronnie Anne uttered, her voice sounding nasally due to her cold. She pressed herself flush against the tree, daring a peek around the base.

Chandler was approaching fast, and she only had one chance to nail this right. Reeling her foot back, Ronalda waited until she was certain he was just a few feet from her hiding spot. Just as redhead was about to pass, the tomboy brought her foot forward as she swung out in a wide kick. The feeling of shoe meeting soft flesh, along with the high pitched male shrieks, was music to her ears.

Chandler crumpled to the ground as he held his package, hissing in pain all while Ronnie Anne grinned down at him. "That, was for Lynn. And this," She pressed her foot on the boy's poorly protected groin, "Is for the fake, pictures..." Ronnie Anne growled as she grinded her foot into him. The tomboy them promptly stomped on his midsection twice, forcing the air out of his lungs. Seeing the birds approaching, Ronnie Anne gave him another stomp on the groin for good measure. "I'd do worse, but your _friends_ are here."

The tomboy backed up as the birds swarmed Chandler like sharks to discarded meat. The redhead could only scream as the birds pecked at him from every angle, thrashing around on the ground in a faint attempt to shoo them away. Ronnie Anne brought out her phone and snapped a few pictures, giving a few chortles at the scene before her. Feeling that her nose was starting to run again, the tomboy wiped it with her sleeve and sniffed hard before walking back to her house.

Chandler continued to scream as loud as possible until Ronnie Anne was out of hearing range.

* * *

Conner put a hand on the wall as he nearly doubled over in laughter. "Did you see how hard that boot decked him?!"

"I think the birds did a better job than the boot did." Lincoln laughed, stopping himself short when he started to cough a little.

Clyde and Liam came through the door, appearing to have just come out of a laughing fit. "Hey Lincoln, did you see that prank on-" Clyde stopped upon seeing Conner. The nerdy child let out a gasp. "Is that your long, lost brother?!"

Conner stopped laughing long enough to give Clyde an annoyed glare. "No!"

Liam squinted his eyes, rubbing his chin as he looked between Lincoln and Conner. "I dunno, y'all do look quite alike."

"Hey Lincoln." All four boys nearly jumped out of their skins before looking towards Lucy, who was quickly scrolling through her phone. "Looks like your plan was a success." She turned the screen to show a picture she received from Ronnie Anne: a murder of crows pecking incessantly at a flailing redheaded jerk.

Clyde's eyes became as big as his lens. " _You_ planned all of that?"

Lincoln quickly clamped a hand on Clyde's mouth, looking around at any students close to them. Fortunately, the overall chatter had drowned out the yelp. Lincoln pulled his best friend over to the side, the rest following curiously. "Yeah, but I can't take all the credit." He started counting off his fingers. "I had help from Luan, Lisa, Lucy, the twins, even Conner and his sister, his sister's friend, and Ronnie Anne."

The African American's eyes shrank back to normal (well, smaller than normal) at the mention of Luan. "I-I thought that prank looked familiar..." He shivered unconsciously.

Luan's laughter didn't help ease Clyde's fear. He thought it was in his head, but as soon as the comedian herself walked up to the group, his eyes rolled back as he immediately fell to the floor.

"So," Liam started, trying to ignore Clyde's sudden faint. "Why'd ya prank that goat anyways? And weren't supposed to be gone til Monday?"

"He's the reason Lynn got injured so much on Tuesday..." Lincoln stated, his voice almost bitter. "I guess the cops don't know about it yet, but they didn't need to." The boy smiled. "We got this taken care of ourselves."

"Ya sure? Cause I heard y'all got that little court hearin' or whatever comin' up."

"Oh don't worry. We're not done with him, until we _really_ get our point across." Conner rubbed his hands together in an evil-like fashion. "He's gonna wet his pants so hard for what I want to do to him, hehehehehehe…"

The bell ringing cut off Conner's snickering, and everyone besides Lincoln started to panic. "Dang it! I can't get another tardy!" Liam shouted, making a run for his locker.

Clyde came back to reality after the ringing in his ears stopped. He jumped to his feet and chased after Liam, shouting, "My perfect attendance record!"

"See ya at home Link!" Luan shouted, as she disappeared up some stairs.

"Bye Lincoln!" Lucy stated before she ran off.

Lincoln turned to Conner, who just started walking off with his hands in his pockets. "Why aren't you running?"

"I'm in a good mood right now, so I don't care if I'm late." Conner answered without looking back. "See ya around Lincoln."

Lincoln shrugged before heading towards the school entrance. The boot hung lazily out of the box, and gazing outside, Lincoln could see bits of hay and bird feathers covering a wet spot on the sidewalk. Smiling contently, Lincoln hummed to himself as he strolled out of the school and started his journey back to his house. With nothing else on his mind right now, perhaps he could sit down and read comics in his undies like usual. Maybe even pay Lynn and Ronnie Anne a visit when he got time to. Wherever life takes him at this point, he didn't care, so long as he had family and friends he could count on. And he would be there for them in return; whether it be a supportive brother, a decent boyfriend, or a nice guy to hang with, he'd do it all.

The sun shines brightly on a nice day every once in a while. But as we all know, life can still be pretty ugly, even on decent days.

* * *

 _Seven Months Later_

With big gaps in time comes change, whether it be small or huge, and to say nothing happened between the 3 families would be one of the biggest lies of the year. While many events occurred within this time frame, it's hard to understand it unless we start from the beginning.

Lincoln resumed his classes on Monday, having been able to catch up easily thanks to Clyde giving him notes from class on the subjects covered almost daily. Within those few days, Lori was able to get him a new phone using her free upgrade option; just in time too as he got in trouble once with that noisy radio. He was also able to help Ronnie Anne catch up in the two classes they shared, though the little Latina still had a decent amount to cover. Lincoln even took the initiative to get Lynn's classes so she wouldn't be too far behind, much to the disdain of the 13 year old.

Lynn didn't want to be more bored than she already was with sitting in the hospital, but Lincoln insisted that she'd be better off doing her work _now_ than later.

 _"You sound just like Lisa..."_ She once told him.

 _"Please. I do not have the brain power of Albert Einstein."_ Lincoln replied back with a lisp, earning a laugh from the sporty Loud.

The middle child wasn't doing it just to help her with academics though. As the month dragged on, Lincoln spent as much time as he could with Lynn, visiting her nearly every day after school. The rest of the family came and went as well, just not as frequent as Lincoln would. The girls weren't too surprised, given that the two had been at each other's throats a while back. It was the perfect moment for them to re-establish a bond that had once been lost, and Lynn Sr. nearly bawled his eyes out every time found his son and 5th oldest daughter sleeping peacefully with one another.

Soon enough, Lynn had recovered to the point she was no longer required to be bound to a bed; she just had to make use of a wheelchair for the next several weeks as her leg healed. It may not have been the _best_ idea, as at one point Lynn and Lincoln (riding on the back of Lynn's chair) decided to take a joyride speeding around the halls of the hospital. You know that feeling you get when you're trying to have fun and your mom scolds you for being reckless? Try getting lip service from both Rita _and_ Maria; the latter was especially angry as she didn't want all her hard work aiding Lynn to be wiped by her own stupidity. Either way, the 13 year old was happy to be back at home instead of rotting away in some bed.

The week after her release, things became rather chilling. The trial was taking place that Wednesday, and with the session so close, it brought up all the fighting, bloodshed, shocks, and arrests. It is easy to bury memories, but they can resurface twice as hard just as much as snapping your fingers. Each of the kids directly involved had varying degrees of nervous as the court date approached; Lincoln wasn't comfortable recalling the beatings, as clear as they were, but he managed to keep a smile on his face for half the time. Conner was a similar case, with Ronnie Anne scowling at being reminded of the trash can incident; as if being sick from it wasn't enough. The little Latina had recovered after about a week and a half, but her ego still required some healing. Lynn was dead silent for much of the time before they were to appear in court. Even Lincoln talking to her didn't warrant anything other than a soft mumble. Lori and Carol tried not to show it, but even they were a little timid at having to remember coming across their little siblings injured. However, one thing that separated them from the guilty party was that they had their families as backup and assurance that everything would be ok.

As for the 8 other boys involved...

The trial went about as well as you'd expect. Each child gave their testimony about the incident, while half the teens admitted guilt and the other half tried to downplay it or even make up a story that would make the siblings look guilty. There was even a testament from a witness whose car was damaged after Lynn got slammed onto it.

You know, when they tell you that you're under oath to tell the truth and _nothing_ but the truth, it's best to stick to that rule. The fabricated stories caused quite an uproar that had to be shut down at least 4 times, with Lynn and even Lori passing death threats to the other teens. There was also a tense standoff between Carol and Hank. Imagine someone boring a bowling ball-sized hole into your head just from glaring. It's not your average glare where you're just annoyed some moron cut you off on the highway; this is the kind of glare you give someone when you'll make paste out of them if they make a single mistake. For better reference, think of Mikasa glaring at Levi when Eren was on trial. The poor fat bastard hid in his seat like a turtle with the blonde's angry face engrained in his head.

At the end of it all, the Louds, Santiagoes, and Pingreys walked out victorious. Hank and Hawk were charged with aggravated assault and sentenced to one year in prison. Their parents were tasked with paying for Lynn's Jr's hospital bill as well as the owner of the damaged sedan; many persons on social media considered them to be failures as parents due to letting their kids run rampant without batting an eye. The six other teens from Hazeltuckey got off a bit lighter, mostly being slapped with property damage and a (relatively) minor assault charge. They were to spend six months in Juvenile Corrections as well as seven months of community service to pay for the damages caused by their little rampage.

Additionally, there was an investigation launched on how Hazeltuckey recruits members for sports teams after a rumor of the town falsifying the ages of teens to allow them to participate in Pee-Wee sports came up numerous times.

Aside from that, everything appeared to be normal for a while. The rest of the school year went on as usual, with Conner being accepted into Lincoln's social circle (and attracting some jealousy from Clyde on the Best Friend Department), as well as the Pingrey boy finally growing the balls to ask Cristina to hang out with him. Lori and Carol were on track to graduate in May, though they haven't figured out their college choices yet.

However, as the summer started, Lynn began acting...rather odd. Occasionally she woke up like a walking corpse, sometimes the siblings would see her mumbling to herself as if someone else was there, and at one point, Lucy found Lynn yelling at her own reflection.

Concerned this may be due to the whole 'bad luck' incident, the siblings had a sit-in with the sporty Loud to get her to talk. The brunette revealed she's been talking to her 'other self', which bewildered everyone but Lori and Lisa; they clarified that there's a voice in the back of Lynn's head that doubts nearly everything she does, saying she'll revert back to her usual self at some point. No one thought that was a bad thing, as they wanted Lynn to be her usual, prideful, occasionally annoying jock self. Problem was...Lynn didn't want it that way, noting the problems it's caused for not only her family, but the teams she played with. In particular, Lynn embarrassingly mentioned that doing a #2 in the bathroom has been painful for a while.

Lisa facepalmed the moment it was mentioned. "I told you that silly habit of your was going to cause you some harm in the future. You should be glad you haven't participated in contact sports for over a month, or you would've done some moderate damage to your rectum should it continued..." The 4 year old scolded.

"What's a rectum?" Leni asked innocently.

"You should see how angry Margo was with me about that...I nearly made her poop herself in public for a stupid win..." Lynn spoke softly, her gaze fixated on the floor instead of Lisa's heated stare.

"If you're having trouble with this kind of stuff, don't you think you should see a doctor?" Lincoln asked.

"Lynn's not hurt that bad is she?" Lana asked.

"Not that kind of doctor sis. He means a shrink." Luna clarified.

"Look guys, it's not that big of a deal. I'll get through it myself." The jock said, trying to appease them.

 _"Yeah, we'll see how that goes ya sore loser."_ A nagging voice much like her own taunted in the back of her head.

"Oh would you just shut up?!" Lynn shouted, staring up at the ceiling. Realizing her siblings were staring at her, "Um, not you guys..."

Lincoln hummed a bit. "Actually, maybe you don't need to see a doctor." The girls all directed their attention to him. "You can talk with Clyde."

Lola rolled her eyes. "Really? That nerd? Doesn't he have his own problems to the point _he_ needs therapy?"

"Yeah...he does..." Lincoln smiled nervously. "But Clyde can be pretty insightful despite what he goes through. He helped me when I had my own issues that were hard to talk about."

"Like what?" The princess asked, raising a brow.

The middle child bit his lip, sweat forming on his forehead. Seeing he was being hesitant, and call it sister's tuition, the eldest answered for him. "When he has a problem dealing with all of us. Given what happened in the spring, it's not surprising."

The girls became a little crestfallen at that bad memory.

"Yeah..." Lynn uttered softly. She took a deep breath and let out an uneven sigh. "Look, if it'll get you guys off my case, I'll talk with Lincoln's nerdy friend. Knowing you, you'll keep hovering over me like Lucy's bats."

"Actually, they hang from the ceiling." The goth clarified.

"Whatever..."

 _"Oh yeah. Like talking to some brat will get rid of me. I'm here to stay Lynda, and besides..."_ The voice taunted, its chuckles giving Lynn a slight migraine. _"You'll go back to being the same, arrogant sister who blames everyone else for your troubles someday."_

Lynn gritted her teeth as she resisted the urge to scream in frustration. She could deal with _her_ later; putting a show in front of her siblings would invoke their second option.

* * *

Things took an even worse turn just a few days later, but not for the Louds. While driving home after doing a late shift for work, Marcus Santiago was T-boned by another car. The initial impact broke his left arm and shattered his collar bone, with the following tumbles causing damage to his ribs, breaking at least two vertebra on his spine, and leaving his nervous system in a state of constant shock. The driver of the other car, who was later to be reported as heavily fatigued, died in the initial collision.

The first time she heard of it, Maria immediately sank to the floor in despair as she gripped the phone in her hand. Ronnie Anne was initially confused at first, only to receive the massive gut punch of potentially losing her father soon after. Bobby was very much like his sister, having called out of work for some time to visit him.

Maria worked tirelessly to make sure Marcus would pull through, even after the doctors did several operations on him to correct his bones and find donated organs to replace those irreparably damaged. Some extremely vital organs like the heart and liver were well on their way towards Royal Woods General, but time was the one thing that was never on their side...

Marcus suffered from total heart failure just hours before the replacement was to arrive, and even as Maria kept up the chest compressions to resuscitate him, she knew he was too far gone for any revival attempts to work...

It's one thing to lose a spouse you've had a loving and happy marriage with; that feeling is magnified as you watch them dying in your arms, that sickness you feel in your heart knowing you can't do a damn thing to save them. The funeral was no better as the now widowed mother could barely finish her eulogy without pausing to cry every few minutes. Maria was never the same after that, now forced to spend sleepless nights alone, instinctively laying a hand in the spot her husband used to occupy. Along with that came the task of raising her kids by herself, who were in no better shape than she was.

Ronnie Anne hardly spoke a word since her father's passing, only having this corpse-like look on her face most of the time. She was also a bit more irritable and would often snap at the first thing that bothered her (usually Lincoln). Without the obligations of school, she hardly went outside, preferring the dark comfort that her room gave her. Often, she would sob in peace as she flicked through a photo album of what her family used to be.

Try as he might, Bobby could never focus on his work like he used to; on top of worrying for his mother and sister. His father always told him one day he would be the man of the house; he just didn't expect that responsibility to come so soon. Sure, he tried to reach out to Ronnie Anne when his mother couldn't, even asking Lincoln if he could help. While the Loud doesn't get yelled at as much, it didn't seem like he was making much progress.

This is why it's always important to have someone you can talk to as a means of comfort during bad times.

Maria found herself hanging out with Rita more often than usual, who offered to do some friendly activities and even invited her to her book club nights (although this felt awkward as Maria wasn't too interested in such activities). The Loud matriarch as also a voice of reason when she caught Maria drinking directly from a bottle of wine twice. The one time she wrestled it out of her hand, Rita got an earful of racist comments from the Hispanic widow, only to watch Maria break down in sorrow after her reaction registered in her hazy mind. Rita then left some words that were still stuck in Maria's head to this day:

 _"I know it's hard. I can't bear the thought of possibly losing Lynn, but what you need to remind yourself is that you need to pull yourself together. I mean, for God's sake you're a mother of two kids! They need you more than anything right now since they'll have to spend the rest of their lives without a father, and they need their mother to help guide them through it."_ Rita had poured the rest of the wine down the sink and trashed the bottle. _"And if you start drinking again, so help me I will take the bottle and knock you on the head with it!"_

She didn't entirely mean that last part, but it helped set her point. Not only that, but Maria's brother came down whenever he could just to see if they were alright. He doubted he could do much to help he situation without Rita's influence. The last time he visited, Carlos told Maria that they were free to visit the bodega whenever they wanted even stay a while if they needed to. Maria was rather unsure about this due to the fact her extended family lived 3 hours away, but kept it in mind.

As for Bobby, despite he and Lori having a rocky relationship, he found himself confiding in her the most after his father's passing. It effectively mirrored the way he was there for Lori back in middle school, when she was going through her 'awkward' phase. Along with that, Bobby found himself falling for her all over again, and Lori didn't even realize it. You can imagine the shock on her face when Bobby called her 'babe' for the first time in months, and from then on, Lori promised she wouldn't do anything to potentially compromise their relationship.

With Ronnie Anne, it took a whole month and half of talking, getting her out the house, and being affectionate towards her, but Lincoln finally managed to break down the walls she built around herself. When he thought about it, Marcus asking him to take care of Ronnie Anne sounded very cryptic in the way he said it; course, not everyone expected him to kick it so soon either. Regardless, Lincoln didn't want to fail the promise he made to a man he came to see as a surrogate father.

Ronnie Anne cried about as hard as she did the day her father had died after she couldn't keep her inner turmoil at bay, and Lincoln was there for her every second. The tomboy also felt like a total bitch for how she kept pushing away her boyfriend and family when all they wanted was to help her. While Ronnie Anne wasn't quite the same since, but she eventually got her 'tough girl' demeanor back to a degree.

However, the troubles of the Santiagos weren't over yet.

Marcus made a little more than half the total income the family used to pay the bills, and with this loss in monotony, Maria found herself forced to work double shifts to just to make sure her kids had a roof over their heads and a comfortable life. $68k a year may seem like a lot, but when you have two kids, it isn't. Bobby opted to help pay the bills with whatever jobs he could land (which was surprisingly up to 7), but Maria didn't wish that burden on her son. She wanted him to go to college so he could at least get a high paying job on his own, which was still rather far off since he was taking a semester off _and_ she needed to get the money in order to cover his tuition.

Her double shifts did help keep things normal at home, but the matriarch knew she couldn't keep this up forever. Many times she would come home dead tired from work, not even able to bid her children goodnight, and it becoming an issue where she could hardly be there for them. With the bags developing around her eyes, Maria almost felt like her mother Rosa.

What Maria needed was a way to solve their financial crisis, and luckily, she knew just where to look...

* * *

On one calm Saturday, Maria had just got off the phone with her brother, a slight smile on her face. That smile faltered as she turned her attention to her kids, who were sitting in the living room. She was going to drop a bombshell on them that she really wished she had time to give hints about, but given her already hectic schedule, it pained Maria to no end with how little she could interact with her children.

Giving a low sigh, the mother stalked into the living room to give them the news. "Hey kids, can I speak with you for a minute?"

Ronnie Anne raised an eyebrow. "Sure mom, about what?" She asked as she muted the channel.

Maria sat in the unoccupied space between them. "H-How have you two been doing?" The mother smiled a tad nervously.

"Better I guess." Bobby shrugged. "I'm in line for a promotion at the pizza place."

"It's just 'meh' for me. I'd probably be hanging out with Lincoln, but he's out for the day." Ronnie Anne muttered. "Are _you_ ok? You're acting a little weird."

"Well...you both know how money's been rather tight since your father's passing. I try to work double shifts nearly every day, but at this rate, and with the bill's getting higher..." Maria paused, her hands gripping the seems of her jeans in anticipation. "I just don't think I can do this anymore..."

Ronnie Anne felt a twinge of fear building in her gut on top of the confusion her mother was putting out. "What are you getting at mom?"

"Well I...I arranged for us to move in with your uncle Carlos and the rest of our family."

It was so quiet in those few seconds that you could hear a pin drop.

"We're moving?!" Her daughter yelled out.

"I know, I know." Maria quickly said. "I'm sorry for bringing it up all of a sudden, but it's not going to be too bad. You'll have plenty of opportunities to hang with your cousins and grandparents. Probably not your aunt and uncle so much since they work, and-"

"But, what are you gonna be doing mom?" Bobby asked in an uncertain tone.

"Given that I'm a nurse...I decided to go back to college to get my master's degree so I can become a doctor. The college your uncle teaches at provides that education, and I hope that when I do get my degree, we can move back to Royal Woods without any of the problems we're currently facing." Their mother explained. Her kids didn't look as hopeful as she'd expect unfortunately. It could be a number of reasons, from having to adjust to a newer location, separation from their current friends, to spending little to no time with their significant other.

 _Maria_ understood each of their worries, having gone through it herself. "I'm guessing you both are worried about Lori and Lincoln. Back when I was studying to be a nurse, I held a long distance affair with your father. It was hard not seeing him every day, but we kept in touch through the phones. Even then, we had different schedules and didn't have a whole lot of time to talk." Maria smiled faintly. "But, we eventually made it work and some 4 years later, it became so very much worth it in the end. We agreed to meet up in Royal Oak a little after college was dealt with. I also kept in touch with my old friends from time to time, even making new ones. Though, as of late I haven't a clue as to what they're doing so far." The kid's morphed from shock to consideration. "Yes, it will be difficult to adjust, but don't think this is gonna be the last time you'll see them." She got out her seat and knelt down in front of them, gently grasping their hands. "I promise you both we'll come back to Royal Woods. After all, it only takes about two years or less for to get a master's."

Ronnie Anne and Bobby nodded, still taking in the fact their lives were about to change even further. Bobby was wondering what he was going to tell Lori. Sure, they still text each other every 10 minutes, but he also had some good friends and co-workers who'd miss him when he moved. And that's on top of not being able to hold her in his arms every day; they might even have to say goodbye to planning any dates.

The younger girl wasn't sure how to break the news to her own friends, or Lincoln. She was certain they'd take it just about as well as she would, though Ronnie Anne was growing to accept the fact they _needed_ this move. As much as Ronnie could say she didn't want to leave Royal Woods, the signs were always there. After dad died, things were never the same, what with Mom and her brother working more frequently than normal. The mailbox was always stuffed with some kind of bill that needed to be paid as Ronnie Anne came to notice, and every time Maria went out for groceries, she didn't buy a whole lot; likely because she simply couldn't afford to. Still, they managed to get by, and like her mom said, she could only keep up that lifestyle for so long before something bad happened. Losing their house was one thought that sent shivers up Ronnie Anne's spine.

Getting up from the couch, the tomboy shuffled herself to her room, lightly closing the door on her way in. She could hear Bobby flopping down on his bed, probably with his phone in hand. Ronnie Anne took a glance around the living space she slept in for...as far back as she could remember? She knew they lived in Royal Woods for a good while, though they lived in some other house when she was in diapers. Her eyes lied on the phone sitting on her nightstand, and with nervousness swelling in her gut, she dialed a certain Loud's number.

* * *

The first time Lori heard that Bobby was going to move, she screeched so loud that Luna thought she'd make a great lead singer for her ideal type of band. Thankfully, she managed to simmer down after fully understanding the situation, not that it helped her mood. Lincoln too was depressed about the news he received from Ronnie Anne, but unlike Lori, he had a weird feeling it might come to that given the state their house was in after each visit. The one particular visit was when he and Ronnie Anne were partners in an egg baby project.

Two things he learned from that project? Ronalda can be very nurturing towards babies, even if they're fakes. Also, he really hoped they could raise a baby in a better setting than the deplorable house she currently lived in. Not that he was saying he was thinking of the future mind you...he blames that project for putting it in his head. And if his sisters found out, he'd _never_ hear the end of it.

"Soooo...I guess this is it huh?" Lincoln spoke uneasily as he and Ronnie Anne watched a couple movers struggling to get the couch through the door.

"Yeah...for now at least. I mean, it's only a few hours of driving right?" The tomboy said in a hopeful tone.

"True, but I'd have to bum Lori for a ride every time. However. it shouldn't be too much of a problem since I know she'll miss her _boo boo bear._ " Lincoln chuckled as he glanced at Lori crying into Bobby's arms.

A cracking sound could be heard as the movers finally managed to get the couch through the door, while stripping off some wood from the door frame itself.

"So what do you think the city will be like?" The white-haired boy asked.

Ronalda rolled her shoulders. "Hopefully it doesn't suck. I remember how dad used to complain about driving into downtown..." The girl paused at that mention. "And just an FYI, we'll be living in the same building as my other family, which including us is like..." She counted on her fingers. "Thirteen."

Lincoln snorted a little. "Oh trust me, I know what _that's_ like. If you need advice, you can always call 'The Man With a Plan'." He pointed at his chest in a jovial attitude.

"Really? Cause I just call you my boyfriend." Ronalda poked him lightly in the chest, making Lincoln give a short laugh. "Anyway, so how's Lynn doing? Last I heard she was still talking to herself?"

Lincoln nodded, his smile fading a bit. "Her leg is better now so she doesn't need the chair anymore, but still goes to physical therapy. As far as her...issues...she's been talking to Clyde more often about it, though I don't know if they're making any progress. She seems to be handling it better these days."

Ronnie Anne nodded. "With how often she talks with Clyde..." A smirk began to form. "I'd say they might as well be dating."

Lincoln threw out a fit of giggles at that notion. "Clyde and _Lynn_? I know him falling for someone other than Lori would be better, but I'm not even sure if he's Lynn's type. I thought he might hang out with Penelope after that egg project, but I haven't seen them talking much. Then again, Lynn isn't _exactly_ the same as she used to be." The boy rolled his shoulders before placing his hands in his pockets. "Who knows."

"Yeah, maybe." Ronnie Anne glanced over at the moving truck, seeing that her mother had just finished working things out with the so-called 'professionals'. Upon seeing that she was gesturing her to the car, her heart sank a little. "Guess I'll smell ya later then?"

Lincoln nodded, keeping up a smile no matter how painful his chest was feeling. "N-Not if I smell ya first." He half-grinned.

Ronalda gave a light chuckle before pulling him into a tight embrace, the Loud returning it with as much energy. "See ya later Linky-Poo." She teased.

"Catch ya later Nie Nie." Lincoln teased back.

A minute later, the two Loud siblings watched the Santiagos disappear around the corner with the moving truck in tow. Once they were out of sight, Lincoln let his smile fade completely, feeling as if a large piece of his heart left with them.

"You gonna be ok _Linky-Poo_?" Lori asked, a faint smile drawn up on her face.

"Yeah...maybe playing Muscle Fish will-" Lincoln widened his eyes upon doing a back check on that sentence. "You heard her say that?!"

"Oh don't get all flustered. It's just so cute that you both finally came up with nicknames!" The blonde clasped her hands together as she squealed in delight. "Pretty soon, you guys will be like me and Bobby!"

Lincoln felt more blood rush to his cheeks as his sister started to ramble on about what kind of double-dates they could do. "I really hope we don't..." He muttered to himself as he frowned at the ground. There was no way he and Ronnie Anne would be 'gaga' for each other like those two. "Just don't tell our sisters about it please?..." He begged, but upon gazing back up, Lori was back inside Vanzilla. "Lori?..." Seeing her on the phone set panic into his system. "Lori!"

"Oh relax, I won't tell them if you don't want me to." The teen spoke as she watched her brother climb into the front seat. "But, it was worth seeing you acting so embarrassed like that." She ruffled his hair.

Lincoln gave a pouty face at the baby treatment, folding his arms. "You sure seem to be taking this well..."

"Oh trust me Lincoln." Lori shifted the car into gear before beginning the short trip back to their house. "I'll miss Roberto as much as you'll miss Ronalda, but we figured out something before they left. Since his uncle teaches at a university in the city, and Bobby will likely go there since we graduated, I'm going to do some searching as soon as we get home."

"Wait, does that mean you'll be gone after Christmas?" Lincoln asked, a bit of worry seeping into his tone.

"Don't worry about it. I still have to figure out what kind of major I want to do, along with a bunch of other stuff I literally need time to sort out." Lori gave her brother an assured smile "So, I'm not going anywhere for a while."

Lincoln nodded in understanding, feeling content to spend the rest of the ride in silence. At least until, "So what are you gonna send Ronnie Anne when they get to their new home? I got _tons_ of great ideas!"

The middle child slapped a hand to his forehead, a loud groan escaping him. "Lori!..."

 **A/N: And with that, this NSL story comes to a close. Chandler finally got his due, with the hint of more pain and misery coming for him some time later, and the teens have all been punished with varying amounts of jail time. I also found a way to incorporate Relative Chaos into the ending, at least to give it a more reasonable explanation. I still didn't buy the whole 'I thought you guys were lonely' thing Maria spoke about in the actual episode, especially since her kids have friends; so there had to be more to this move that was missing or she didn't say. And since Mr. Santiago is not in the picture...I don't entirely think they divorced, but circumstances outside of their control caused their current state of marriage.**

 **The seven month time lapse was added as a way to introduce a sequel I may or may not do. It won't focus on the bad luck aspect (that's been done to death by now), but more so about Lynn dealing with her own insecurities and Lincoln and Ronnie Anne facing the pains of having a long distance relationship. Time will tell if I get time to work on that, but may this story be forever engrained in memory, and I bid all of you a good day.**


End file.
